title: Differential effects of topical vitamin E and C E Ferulic® treatments on ultraviolet light B-induced cutaneous tumor development in Skh-1 mice.
abstract: Because of the ever-increasing incidence of ultraviolet light B (UVB)-induced skin cancer, considerable attention is being paid to prevention through the use of both sunscreens and after sun treatments, many of which contain antioxidants. Vitamin E is included as an antioxidant in many sunscreens and lotions currently on the market. Studies examining the efficacy of vitamin E as a topical preventative agent for UVB-induced skin cancer have yielded conflicting results. A likely contributor to differences in study outcome is the stability of vitamin E in the particular formulation being tested. In the current study we examined the effects of topical vitamin E alone as well as vitamin E combined with vitamin C and ferulic acid in a more stable topical formula (C E Ferulic®). Mice were exposed to UVB for 10 weeks in order to induce skin damage. Then, before the appearance of any cutaneous lesions, mice were treated for 15 weeks with a topical antioxidant, without any further UVB exposure. We found that topical C E Ferulic decreased tumor number and tumor burden and prevented the development of malignant skin tumors in female mice with chronically UVB-damaged skin. In contrast, female mice chronically exposed to UVB and treated topically with vitamin E alone showed a trend towards increased tumor growth rate and exhibited increased levels of overall DNA damage, cutaneous proliferation, and angiogenesis compared to vehicle-treated mice. Thus, we have demonstrated that topical 5% alpha tocopherol may actually promote carcinogenesis when applied on chronically UVB-damaged skin while treating with a more stable antioxidant compound may offer therapeutic benefits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Kathleen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Tober
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Riggenbach
authors.forename: Donna F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Kusewitt
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Tatiana M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Oberyszyn
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D003373:Coumaric Acids; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D014810:Vitamin E; C004999:ferulic acid; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase