Abstract

The key role of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in skin cancer development has been confirmed by abundant evidences. The human epidermis is the main defense against UV radiation. Ferulic acid is a potent ubiquitous plant antioxidant. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether Ferulic acid could inhibit ultraviolet-B (UVB) induced carcinogenesis and its possible underlying mechanisms. The human keratinocyte HaCaT cells were treated by UVB irradiation and Ferulic acid. And the cellular viability, secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α, apoptosis and cell cycle, formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), mRNA expression of p53, p21 and c-fos, protein expression of p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and replication protein A (RPA) were investigated. Ferulic acid treatment inhibited the UVB-induced cytotoxicity, apoptosis and CPDs formation. Ferulic acid also attenuated the mRNA levels of apoptosis-regulatory gene (p53- p21 and c-fos) the protein levels of p53, PCNA and RPA and the secretion of cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α). These results indicate that Ferulic acid may have the potential anti-carcinogenic properties on the UVB induced epidermic tumor development by blocking the relevant cytokine secretion and expression of p53, p21, c-fos, PCNA and RPA genes.

Key words: Ferulic acid, ultraviolet-B irradiation, keratinocyte, skin cancer.