Defensive effects of fullerene-C60/liposome complex against UVA-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species generation and cell death in human skin keratinocytes HaCaT, associated with intracellular uptake and extracellular excretion of fullerene-C60

The UVA-irradiation of 10 J/cm2 on HaCaT keratinocytes increased 59.1% of the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) by NBT assay and the cell viability decreased to 31.5% by WST-1 assay, comparing to the non-irradiated control. In the presence of fullerene-C60 (C60) incorporated in phospholipid membrane vehicle (LiposomeFullerene: Lpsm-Flln) of 250–500 ppm, they were restored to −9.1% to  + 2.3% of the ROS and 83.0–84.8% of the cell viability, but scarcely restored by the liposome without C60 (Lpsm). In HaCaT cells administered with Lpsm-Flln (150 ppm), C60 was ingested at the intracellular concentrations of 1.4–21.9 ppm for 4–24 h, and, intracellular C60 was excreted by 80% at 4 h after rinsing-out, and decreased to 2–10% after 24–48 h. C60 was predominantly distributed around the outside of nuclear membrane without deterioration of intact cell morphology according to fluorescent immunostain. Thus Lpsm-Flln is found to be an effective antioxidant that could preserve HaCaT keratinocytes against UVA-induced cellular injury. Lpsm-Flln has a potential to serve as a cosmetic material for skin protection against UVA.