Rutin inhibits UVB radiation-induced expression of COX-2 and iNOS in hairless mouse skin: p38 MAP kinase and JNK as potential targets

• Rutin suppresses UVB-induced COX-2 and iNOS expression in mouse skin in vivo.
• Rutin inhibits activation of p38 MAP kinase and JNK in UVB-irradiated mouse skin.
• Rutin attenuates UVB-induced phosphorylation of STAT3 in mouse skin.
• Rutin inhibits UVB-induced AP-1 DNA binding in mouse skin.

Exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, a complete environmental carcinogen, induces oxidative and inflammatory skin damage, thereby increasing the risk of skin carcinogenesis. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of a wide variety of plant polyphenols have been reported. Rutin (3-rhamnosyl-glucosylquercetin), a polyphenol present in many edible plants, possesses diverse pharmacological properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and anticancer activities. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of rutin on UVB-induced inflammation in mouse skin in vivo. Topical application of rutin onto the dorsal skin of female HR-1 hairless mice 30 min prior to UVB irradiation diminished epidermal hyperplasia and the levels of proteins modified by 4-hydroxynonenal, which is a biochemical hallmark of lipid peroxidation. Topical application of rutin also significantly inhibited UVB-induced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), two representative inflammatory enzymes, in hairless mouse skin. Rutin inhibited the DNA binding of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) in mouse skin exposed to UVB. Moreover, rutin attenuated UVB-induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK). Pharmacological inhibition of p38 MAP kinase and JNK decreased UVB-induced expression of COX-2 in mouse skin. Taken together, these findings suggest that rutin exerts anti-inflammatory effects in UVB-irradiated mouse skin by inhibiting expression of COX-2 and iNOS, which is attributable to its suppression of p38 MAP kinase and JNK signaling responsible for AP-1 activation.

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