Abstract
Skin is one of the main targets of the outdoor stressors. Considering that pollution levels are rising progressively, it is not surprising that several cutaneous conditions have been associated with its exposure. Among the pollutants, diesel engine exhaust (DEE) represents one of the most toxic, as it is composed of a mixture of many different noxious chemicals generated during the compression cycle, for ignition rather than an electrical spark as in gasoline engines. The toxic chemicals of most concern in DEE, besides the oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide and various hydrocarbons, are metals that can induce oxidative stress and inflammation. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of topical application, singularly or in combination, of the iron-chelator deferoxamine and a commercially available formulation, CE Ferulic, in up to 4-day DEE-exposed skin. DEE induced a significant increase in the oxidative marker 4-hydroxy-nonenal (4HNE) and matrix-metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9), the loss of cutaneous-barrier-associated proteins (filaggrin and involucrin) and a decrease in collagen-1, while the formulations prevented the cutaneous damage in an additive manner. In conclusion, this study suggests that iron plays a key role in DEE-induced skin damage and its chelation could be an adjuvant strategy to reinforce antioxidant topical formulations.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that circa 90% of the urban population around the world lives in areas with pollutant levels that exceed WHO guideline limits, and this has been linked to the premature death of 7 million people yearly [1].The use of the word “pollution” can be misleading given that are several the different pollutants to which living organisms are exposed
The skin biopsies were rinsed with Phosphate Buffer Solution (PBS) containing antibiotics/antimycotic and transferred into 6-well plates that were prefilled with 1 mL of DMEM High Glucose supplemented with 10% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS), 100 IU/mL penicillin and 100 μg/mL
Considering that the outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, is rich in lipids, it is a perfect substrate for the interaction with diesel engine exhaust (DEE) that leads to the formation of several
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that circa 90% of the urban population around the world lives in areas with pollutant levels that exceed WHO guideline limits, and this has been linked to the premature death of 7 million people yearly [1]. The use of the word “pollution” can be misleading given that are several the different pollutants to which living organisms are exposed. Based on their chemical and physical properties, the USDA has divided them into six main groups: ozone (O3 ), particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), lead, sulfur dioxide (SO2 ) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ) [2]. The role of PM on human health has been investigated for several years, and many pathologies have been associated with its exposure.
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