Premium
A potential new role for the B vitamin 5‐methyl‐tetrahydrofolate in human skin
Author(s) -
Hasoun Luai Z,
Bailey Steven W,
Outlaw Kitti K,
Ayling June E
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.608.2
Subject(s) - human skin , pyrimidine dimer , in vivo , dna damage , dermis , photoprotection , ascorbic acid , biochemistry , epidermis (zoology) , biology , dna , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , anatomy , food science , photosynthesis
It has been hypothesized that human skin color has evolved to balance the need for Vitamin D biosynthesis vs. the need for shielding biomolecules, such as DNA and folates, from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It has been reported that people with dark skin are less susceptible to UV‐induced skin cancer than Caucasians. Little is known about folate levels in human skin. Our laboratory has shown that 5‐methyltetrahydrofolate (5‐MTHF), the most abundant form of folate in the blood, protects against UV‐induced DNA damage in vitro . This protection occurs at sub‐micromolar concentrations of 5‐MTHF which quench the excited state of photosensitizers, and scavenge singlet oxygen species in a diffusion‐limited manner (FASEB J. 21, 2101, 2007). As an initial step to determining if 5‐MTHF might have a similar function in vivo, we have measured concentrations of 5‐MTHF in human skin. Fresh skin samples were obtained at surgery, and quickly dissected and frozen in liquid nitrogen. 5‐MTHF was extracted and quantified using reversed‐phase HPLC with fluorescence detection. We found that levels of 5‐MTHF in epidermis are several fold higher than those of the dermis and may be sufficient to provide protection against UV‐induced damage to DNA and other biomolecules in human skin. Supported by NSF‐EPSCoR 0091853‐353, and NIH HL068165 (JEA). LH is recipient of a fellowship, 090463, from the Graduate Research Scholars Program of Alabama. Grant Funding Source : NIH, NSF