Abstract:
Increased levels of particulate matter (PM) air pollutants in East Asia have resulted in detrimental health impacts
increasing morbidity and mortality. Epidemiological studies suggest a possible relation between the cutaneous
exposure of PM and increased oxidative stress and inflammation which lead to skin lesions. The present study
utilizes an integrated cell culture model of keratinocytes and fibroblasts to mimic viable skin layers and in-
vestigate the possible effects of PM exposure after penetration through corneocytes. The skin perfection is upheld
by homeostatic functionality of epidermal cells and the integrity of connective tissues. Exposure to xenobiotics
could alter the skin cell homeostasis aggravating premature skin aging. Stimulation of HaCaT keratinocytes by
PM collected from Beijing, China (CPM) increased the intracellular ROS levels triggering a cascade of events
aggravating inflammatory responses and connective tissue degradation. In HDF fibroblasts, treatment with
preconditioned keratinocyte culture media augmented inflammatory responses, cellular differentiation, and
connective tissue degradation. Above events were marked by the increased intracellular ROS, inflammatory
mediators, pro-inflammatory cytokines, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-1 and -2 levels, collagenase, and
elastase activity. Fucosterol treatment of keratinocytes dose-dependently attenuated the detrimental effects both
in keratinocytes and fibroblasts restoring the conditions near to physiological levels. Further evaluations could
be advanced on developing fucosterol, in forms such as rejuvenating cosmeceuticals which could attenuate
detrimental responses of CPM exposure.
