Abstract
Urocanic acid is a major ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing chromophore. Chitins are highly crystalline structures that are found predominantly in crustacean shells. Alpha-chitin consists of microfibers that contain nanofibrils embedded in a protein matrix. Acid hydrolysis is a common method used to prepare chitin nanofibrils (NFs). We typically obtain NFs by hydrolyzing chitin with acetic acid. However, in the present study, we used urocanic acid to prepare urocanic acid chitin NFs (UNFs) and examined its protective effect against UVB radiation. Hos: HR-1 mice coated with UNFs were UVB irradiated (302 nm, 150 mJ/cm2), and these mice showed markedly lower UVB radiation-induced cutaneous erythema than the control. Additionally, sunburn cells were rarely detected in the epidermis of UNFs-coated mice after UVB irradiation. Although the difference was not as significant as UNFs, the number of sunburn cells in mice treated with acetic acid chitin nanofibrils (ANFs) tended to be lower than in control mice. These results demonstrate that ANFs have a protective effect against UVB and suggest that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of NFs influence the protective effect of ANFs against UVB radiation. The combination of NFs with other substances that possess UV-protective effects, such as urocanic acid, may provide an enhanced protective effect against UVB radiation.
Highlights
The erythema score for the C (+) group was similar to the erythema scores for the hydrophilic ointment (HO), Polyethylene glycol (PG) cream, Ac cream, and acid chitin nanofibrils (ANFs) cream groups
This study demonstrated that urocanic acid chitin NFs (UNFs) has a protective effect against UVB irradiation and inhibits UVB irradiation-induced erythema and sunburn cell generation
The results suggested that NFs itself has a protective effect against UVB, and that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of NFs affect its protective effect against UVB
Summary
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has a harmful effect on the human body. UV radiation can be classified according to wavelength as UVA (320–380 nm), UVB (290–320 nm), and UVC (210–290 nm). 260 nm; UVC and some UVB radiation of certain wavelengths can cause DNA nucleotides to absorb energy, which results in their transition to an excited state Molecules in such an excited state are unstable, and in order for them to return to a stable state, new chemical bonds are formed. DNA damage occurs as a result of irradiation with UVA or UVB rays within a range of wavelengths where there is no UV absorption. This is thought to be due to reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are generated as a result of irradiation [3]. The demand for new, more functional sun protection materials have increased as the risk of the UV exposure has risen due to depletion of the ozone layer
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