Abstract
Recently, sunscreens containing ultraviolet (UV)-blocking substance actively encourage to reduce damage caused by solar UV radiation. Benzophenone (BP)-type UV filters have become widely used as UV stabilizers in skin-moisturizing products and sunscreen lotions of human skin and hair. However, very little information is available regarding the potential harmful effects of long term exposure to these substances. Therefore, we investigated the possibility of genotoxic effects related to metabolism of BP-type UV filters in mouse lymphoma L5178Y cells. In metabolism process of BP-type UV filters, BP was mainly converted to benzhydrol (BH) and 4-hydroxybenzophenone (HBP) (i.e., type A UV filters). In contrast, HMB was converted into at least three intermediates, including 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (DHB), which was formed via o-demethylation and subsequently converted into 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone (THB), and 2,2′-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (DHMB), which formed via the aromatic hydroxylation of HMB (i.e., type B UV filters). The comet assay was used to assess DNA damage in type A and B UV filters-treated cells. We found that cells exposed to type A or B UV filters showed significant DNA damage compared to untreated cells. Exposure to HBP, the hydroxylated metabolite of BP, and DHB and THB, the di- and tri-hydroxylated metabolites of HMB, resulted in particularly severe DNA damage (P<0.05). Therefore, we suggest that BP-type UV filters with a hydroxyl group at the para-position (e.g., HBP, DHB, and THB) may induce single-stranded DNA breakage in L5178Y cells.
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Jeon, HK. Comparative toxicity related to metabolisms of benzophenone-type UV filters, potentially harmful to the environment and humans. Mol. Cell. Toxicol. 13, 337–343 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13273-017-0037-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13273-017-0037-2