Sulforaphane Suppresses Ultraviolet B

Sulforaphane suppresses ultraviolet B-induced inflammation in HaCaT keratinocytes and HR-1 hairless mice.

J Nutr Biochem. 2009 Jul 1.

Shibata A, Nakagawa K, Yamanoi H, Tsuduki T, Sookwong P, Higuchi O, Kimura F, Miyazawa T.

Food and Biodynamic Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 981-8555, Japan.

Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation induces skin damage and inflammation. One way to reduce the inflammation is via the use of molecules termed photochemopreventive agents. Sulforaphane (4-methylsulfinylbutyl isothiocyanate, SF), which is found in cruciferous vegetables, is known for its potent physiological properties. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of SF on skin inflammation in vitro and in vivo. In in vitro study using immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT), UVB caused marked inflammatory responses [i.e., decrease of HaCaT viability and increase of production of an inflammatory marker interleukin-6 (IL-6)]. SF recovered the cell proliferation and suppressed the IL-6 production. These anti-inflammatory effects of SF were explained by its ability to reduce UVB-induced inflammatory gene expressions [IL-6, IL-1beta and cyclooxgenase-2 (COX-2)]. Because SF seems to have an impact on COX-2 expression, we focused on COX-2 and found that SF reduced UVB-induced COX-2 protein expression. In support of this, PGE(2) released from HaCaT was suppressed by SF. Western blot analysis revealed that SF inhibited p38, ERK and SAPK/JNK activation, indicating that the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) by SF would attenuate the expression of inflammatory mediators (e.g., COX-2), thereby reducing inflammatory responses. Moreover, we conducted skin thickening assay using HR-1 hairless mice and found that UVB-induced skin thickness, COX-2 protein expression and hyperplasia were all suppressed by feeding SF to the mice. These results suggest that sulforaphane has a potential use as a compound for protection against UVB-induced skin inflammation.

Note from ISS:  Several crucifer sprouts including broccoli sprouts are currently the most potent natural source of sulforaphane known.  They often produce 10 to 100 times the amount of sulforaphane as their corresponding mature vegetables.

“Broccoli sprouts have a very high concentration of sulforaphane since this compound originates in the seed and is not made in the plant as it grows. One sprout contains all of the sulforaphane that is present in a full grown broccoli plant.” 

“Nutrition and cancer: a review of the evidence for an anti-cancer diet” Nutr J. 2004 Oct 20;3:19, Donaldson MS. Hallelujah Acres Foundation, 13553 Vantage Hwy, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA.