The Effect of Wheat Adventitious Root and Callus Extracts on Protecting Skin Fibroblast Cells against Ultraviolet B

Abstract

Purpose: Sunburn, edema, hyperplasia, skin photo-aging, and skin cancer have been extensively associated with ultraviolet (UV) exposure. The role of natural phytochemicals in mitigating these UV-induced conditions has garnered significant scientific interest. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a rich source of polyphenols and has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and antioxidant properties in numerous in vivo and in vitro studies. Methods: This study used MTT assay, cell cycle analysis, scratch assay, and western blotting to investigate the protective effects of wheat adventitious root (WR) and wheat callus water (WC) and ethanolic (ER, EC) extracts on human skin fibroblast (HFF-2) cells against UVB-induced damage. Results: Among the prepared water and hydroethanolic extracts, the water extracts were selected for their superior performance in protecting cells against UVB-induced damage, as evidenced by MTT assays, enhanced cell growth, and total phenol content. The optimal doses were determined to be 0.1 μg/ml of WC extract and 10 μg/ml of WR extract. The observed protective effects included decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased S/G2 phase indicative of DNA repair, upregulated Sirt-1 expression, inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), and enhanced migration of fibroblast cells. Among the groups investigated (WR, ER, EC, and control), WC demonstrated the most pronounced protective effects. Conclusion: The study concluded that WC could pave the way for developing novel anti-aging and sunscreen products.

Keywords: wheat, Triticum aestivum, callus, adventitious root, aging, Skin