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Betacarotene supplementation protects from photoaging-associated mitochondrial DNA mutation

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Abstract

Mutations of mitochondrial DNA accumulate during normal aging and can be detected at elevated levels in skin prematurely aged by chronic exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light (photoaging). In normal human fibroblasts, we have previously demonstrated that mtDNA deletions are induced by repetitive exposure to sublethal doses of UVA radiation mediated through singlet oxygen. Betacarotene is a known quencher of ROS and singlet oxygen in particular, and it is widely applied in photoprotective compounds. Therefore we investigated whether in our in vitro system, betacarotene is capable of protecting from the induction of photoaging-associated mtDNA deletions. All-E (trans) betacarotene was tested at doses from 0.25 to 3.0 μM for uptake into cells as well as its protective capacity. Assessment of cellular uptake of all-E betacarotene measured by HPLC revealed a dose dependent increase of intracellular concentrations, as well as an increase in oxidative metabolites. UVA-exposure led to a decrease of all-E-betacarotene, its Z-isomers and oxidative metabolites. Assessment of mtDNA deletions by PCR revealed reduced levels of mtDNA mutagenesis in cells coincubated with betacarotene at concentrations of 0.5 μM and higher. Taken together, these results indicate that betacarotene (i) is taken up into the cell in a dose dependent manner, (ii) interacts with UVA radiation in the cell and (iii) shows protective properties from the induction of a photoaging-associated mtDNA mutation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Umweltmedizinische Forschung gGmbH at the Heinrich-Heine-University, Auf’m Hennekamp 40, D-40225, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Jörg Eicker, Viola Kürten & Jean Krutmann

  2. Molecular Oncology and Aging, Department of Dermatology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Moorenstr. 5, D-40225, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Viola Kürten, Susanne Wild & Mark Berneburg

  3. Roche Vitamins AG, Human Nutrition and Health, Switzerland

    Georges Riss & Regina Goralczyk

Authors
  1. Jörg Eicker
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  2. Viola Kürten
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  3. Susanne Wild
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  4. Georges Riss
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  5. Regina Goralczyk
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  6. Jean Krutmann
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  7. Mark Berneburg
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Correspondence to Jean Krutmann.

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Eicker, J., Kürten, V., Wild, S. et al. Betacarotene supplementation protects from photoaging-associated mitochondrial DNA mutation. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2, 655–659 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1039/b300808h

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/b300808h

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