Are natural lipids UV-screening agents?

Abstract

Isolated lipids from Deinococcus radiodurans were reconstituted at final concentrations of 1 mg/ml into dioleoyl phosphatidyl choline (DOPC) vesicles and assayed for the ability to protect cells of Escherichia coli against killing by UV light (254 nm). Values of D37 (UV dose required to reduce the number of surviving cells to 37% of the original number) were calculated from killing curves. E. coli was afforded the greatest protection with an individual lipid, identified as vitamin MK8 (D37=310 J//m2, compared to D37=67 J/m2 for E. coli irradiated in the presence of DOPC alone). Liposome-mediated protection was dependent on UV254 absorbance and not on turbidity-related light-scattering. BOth vitamin MK8 from D. radiodurans and vitamin K1, which is available commercially, showed a similar degree of UV254-protection for E. coli. The UV-protective properties of vitamin K1 were also investigated on mammalian cells in comparison with other natural lipids and known sunscreens. Survival curves were obtained for mouse fibroblast (L) cells irradiated at UV254 in the absence or presence of DOPC liposomes into which were incorporated various natural lipids or standard sunscreen ingredients, all at final concentrations of 1 mg/ml. Experimentally determined values of D37 were as follows: Vitamin K1, 73 J/m2; \-carotene, 44 J/m2; α-tocopherol, 20 J/m2; sulisobenzone, 156 J/m2; p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), 113 J/m2; benzophenone, 80 J/m2; oxybenzone, 61 J/m2 and DOPC alone. 23 J/m2. Vitamin K1, the most protective lipid tested, was also compared with PABA and oxybenzone (all at concentrations of 20 mg/ml; applied topicall) for its ability to protec Skh-hairless mice from UV254-induced erythema, yielding a UV254 protection factor of 3.5. In addition, vitamin K1 (at 100 mg/ml) was able to provide hairless mice with a small degree of UVB protection, as indicated by an experimentally determined Solar Protection Factor of 1.5–2.0. Although it is concluded that vitamin K is not likely to account for the extraordinarily high degree of UV-resistance of D. radiodurans, vitamin K does show characteristics worthy of its consideration as a UV-screening agent.