MADISON, Wis.—Oral consumption of pomegranate fruit extract afforded substantial protection from the adverse effects of UVB radiation via modulation in early biomarkers of photocarcinogenesis and may have photochemopreventive potential, according to a study at the University of Wisconsin (Photochem Photobiol. 2010;86(6):1318-26). Pomegranate from the plant Punica granatum L. possesses strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, researchers demonstrated treatment of normal human epidermal keratinocytes with pomegranate fruit extract (PFE) inhibited UVB-mediated activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen activated protein kinases pathways. In this current study, researchers evaluated the effect of PFE on early biomarkers of photocarcinogenesis employing SKH-1 hairless mice. PFE was provided in drinking water to SKH-1 hairless mice for 14 days before a single UVB irradiation.
Oral feeding of PFE inhibited UVB-induced: (1) skin edema; (2) hyperplasia; (3) infiltration of leukocytes; (4) lipid peroxidation; (5) hydrogen peroxide generation; (6) ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity; and (7) ODC, cyclooxygenase-2 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen protein expression. Oral feeding of PFE enhanced repair of UVB-mediated formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG). PFE treatment further enhanced UVB-mediated increase in tumor suppressor p53 and cyclin kinase inhibitor p21. In addition, oral feeding of PFE inhibited UVB-mediated: (1) nuclear translocation of NF-κB; (2) activation of IKKapha; and (3) phosphorylation and degradation of IκBalpha.