Transdermal nanotherapeutics: Panax quinquefolium polysaccharide nanoparticles attenuate UVB-induced skin cancer

Kazi Farida Akhter; Md Abdul Mumin; Edmund M K Lui; Paul A Charpentier

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.03.122

Transdermal nanotherapeutics: Panax quinquefolium polysaccharide nanoparticles attenuate UVB-induced skin cancer

Int J Biol Macromol. 2021 Jun 30:181:221-231. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.03.122. Epub 2021 Mar 24.

Authors

Kazi Farida Akhter¹, Md Abdul Mumin², Edmund M K Lui³, Paul A Charpentier⁴

Affiliations

¹ Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B9, Canada; Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada.
² Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B9, Canada.
³ Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada.
⁴ Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B9, Canada; Biomedical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada. Electronic address: pcharpentier@eng.uwo.ca.

PMID: 33774070
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.03.122

Abstract

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is known to cause an imbalance of the endogenous antioxidant system leading to an increase in skin cancer. Panax quinquefolium (American ginseng) polysaccharides (GPS) can inhibit such an imbalance due to its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of topical formulations containing GPS nanoparticles (NPs) to inhibit UVB induced oxidative damage and skin cancer. Photoaging was conducted under UVB irradiation with a dose of 300 mJ/cm² on SKH1 hairless mice. The treatment groups (n = 5) were as follows: sham control, native GPS, GPS NPs and fluorescent labeled GPS NPs. To compare the photoprotective performance, the topical formulations were applied before and after UVB induction (pre-treatment and post-treatment), followed by sacrificing the animals. Then, skin and blood samples were collected, and inflammatory cytokines production was measured using ELISA. Compared to the sham control, GPS NPs pre-treated mice skin and blood samples exhibited a significant lowering in all cytokine production. In addition, skin histology analysis showed that pre-treatment of GPS NPs prevented epidermal damage and proliferation. The results support that topical formulation containing GPS NPs can inhibit UVB induced oxidative damage and skin cancer.

Keywords: Cytokines; Panax quinquefolium; Photoaging; Photoprotective effect; Skin cancer.

MeSH terms

Administration, Cutaneous
Animals
Cytokines / metabolism
DNA Damage
Female
Mice
Mice, Hairless
Nanomedicine*
Nanoparticles / administration & dosage*
Nanoparticles / therapeutic use*
Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
Panax / chemistry*
Particle Size
Polysaccharides / administration & dosage
Polysaccharides / therapeutic use*
Skin / pathology
Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy*
Ultraviolet Rays*

Substances

Cytokines
Polysaccharides