title: Impact of Different Spa Waters on Inflammation Parameters in Human Keratinocyte HaCaT Cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of different skin conditions with spa waters is a long tradition dating back to at least late Hellenism. Interestingly, independent scientific examinations studying the effect of spa waters are scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the present in vitro study, we compared the effect of culture media supplemented with (a) thermal spa waters (La Roche-Posay, Avène) and (b) two natural mineral drinking waters (Heppinger, Adelholzener) on physiological parameters in HaCaT keratinocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The different medium preparations were investigated with regard to cell proliferation and cell damage. Moreover, the impact on inflammation parameters with and without ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two popular thermal spring waters were found to suppress cell proliferation and cell damage. Moreover, these waters reversed the induction of interleukin-6, as measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and promoter transactivation, and the formation of reactive oxygen species after UVB stimulation. Of note, the two natural mineral waters, which are distributed as drinking waters, had some effect on the above-mentioned parameters but to a lesser extent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, our results show that spa waters, and particularly those derived from thermal springs, reduce parameters associated with inflammation. It seems likely that trace elements such as selenium and zinc are critical for the observed effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zöller
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valesky
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.affiliation: Kinematic Cell Research Group, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bereiter-Hahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: August
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernd
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kippenberger
keywords: Inflammation; Interleukin-6; Keratinocytes; Reactive oxygen species; Spa water; Thermal spring water