摘要

The key role of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in skin cancer development has been confirmed by abundant evidences. The human epidermis is the main defense against UV radiation. Ferulic acid is a potent ubiquitous plant antioxidant. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether Ferulic acid could inhibit ultraviolet-B (UVB) induced carcinogenesis and its possible underlying mechanisms. The human keratinocyte HaCaT cells were treated by UVB irradiation and Ferulic acid. And the cellular viability, secretion of IL-6 and TNF-alpha, apoptosis and cell cycle, formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), mRNA expression of p53, p21 and c-fos, protein expression of p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and replication protein A (RPA) were investigated. Ferulic acid treatment inhibited the UVB-induced cytotoxicity, apoptosis and CPDs formation. Ferulic acid also attenuated the mRNA levels of apoptosis-regulatory gene (p53-p21 and c-fos) the protein levels of p53, PCNA and RPA and the secretion of cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-alpha). These results indicate that Ferulic acid may have the potential anti-carcinogenic properties on the UVB induced epidermic tumor development by blocking the relevant cytokine secretion and expression of p53, p21, c-fos, PCNA and RPA genes.