The β-Blocker Carvedilol Prevented Ultraviolet-Mediated Damage of Murine Epidermal Cells and 3D Human Reconstructed Skin

The β-blocker carvedilol prevents ultraviolet (UV)-induced skin cancer, but the mechanism is unknown. Since carvedilol possesses antioxidant activity, this study investigated whether carvedilol prevents oxidative photodamage of skin, a precursor event in skin carcinogenesis. The effects of carvedilol, metoprolol (a β-blocker without antioxidant property), and 4-hydroxycarbazole (4-OHC, a carvedilol synthesis intermediate and a free radical scavenger) were compared on UV- or H(2)O(2)-induced cell death and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in murine epidermal JB6 P+ cells. Although carvedilol attenuated cell death, metoprolol and 4-OHC failed to show protective effects. As expected, increased cellular ROS induced by H(2)O(2) or UV was abolished by carvedilol and 4-OHC, but not by metoprolol. Consistently, carvedilol attenuated the formation of UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and release of prostaglandin E(2) in JB6 P+ cells. Carvedilol’s activity was further confirmed in full thickness 3D human reconstituted skin, where carvedilol attenuated UV-mediated epidermal thickening, the number of Ki-67 and p53 positive cells as well as CPD formation. Based on pathway-specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Array analysis, carvedilol treatment in many cases normalized UV-induced expression changes in DNA repair genes. Thus, carvedilol’s photoprotective activity is not attributed to β-blockade or direct ROS-scavenging capacity, but likely via DNA repair regulation.