Positive Effects against UV-A Induced Damage and Oxidative Stress on an In Vitro Cell Model Using a Hyaluronic Acid Based Formulation Containing Amino Acids, Vitamins, and Minerals
Authors: Antonietta Stellavato
Stefania Filosa
Gilberto Bellia
Anna Virginia Adriana Pirozzi
Mario De Rosa
Valentina Vassallo
Stella Donato
Sabrina Reale
Chiara Schiraldi
Ilaria Scognamiglio
Alba Di Pardo
Journal: BioMed Research International (2018)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: Ultraviolet radiations; skin photoaging; antiaging; antioxidant effects; hyaluronan formulations
Affiliations: Università della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli (ex Second University of Naples), Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology, Medical Histology and Molecular Biology, Via Luigi De Crecchio No. 7, 80138 Naples, Italy., Institute of Biosciences and BioResources-CNR, UOS Naples, Italy., IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy., IBSA Farmaceutici Italia Srl, Lodi, Italy.

Abstract:  Ultraviolet (UV) radiations are responsible for skin photoaging inducing alteration of the molecular and cellular pathways resulting in dryness and reduction of skin elasticity. In this study, we investigated, in vitro, the antiaging and antioxidant effects of hyaluronan formulations based hydrogel. Skinkò E, an intradermic formulation composed of hyaluronic acid (HA), minerals, amino acids, and vitamins, was compared with the sole HA of the same size. For this purpose, HaCaT cells were subjected to UV-A radiations and H2O2 exposure and then treated with growth medium (CTR) combined with M-HA or Skinkò E to evaluate their protective ability against stressful conditions. Cells reparation was evaluated using a scratch in vitro model and Time-Lapse Video Microscopy. A significant protective effect for Skinkò E was shown with respect to M-HA. In addition, Skinkò E increased cell reparation. Therefore, NF-kB, SOD-2, and HO-1 were significantly reduced at the transcriptional and protein level. Interestingly, γ-H2AX and protein damage assay confirmed the protection by hyaluronans tested against oxidative stress. G6pdΔ ES cell line, highly susceptible to oxidative stress, was used as a further cellular model to assess the antioxidant effect of Skinkò E. Western blotting analyses showed that the treatment with this new formulation exerts marked antioxidant action in cells exposed to UV-A and H2O2. Thus, the protective and reparative properties of Skinkò E make it an interesting tool to treat skin aging. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 This paper belongs to a set of over 400 papers (as per February 2020) that share very similar Western blots with tadpole-like shaped bands, the same background pattern, and striking similarities in title structures, paper layout, bar graph design, and - in a subset - flow cytometry panels. Despite these similarities, these papers are authored by researchers from different departments and institutes, with almost no overlap in authors. The list of these papers is available here: https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 1KXqTAyl4j-jVorFPMD2XRpr76LcIKJ0CVyIvRj0exYQ edit?usp=sharing A more detailed description of this set of papers, suspected to all be generated by a common source, a paper mill , can be found here: * https: forbetterscience.com 2020 01 24 the-full-service-paper-mill-and-its-chinese-customers (January 2020) * https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 02 21 the-tadpole-paper-mill (February 2020) The same paper mill has been described in these papers: * Jana Christopher - Systematic fabrication of scientific images revealed - FEBS Letters (2018) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13201 * Jennifer A Byrne and Jana Christopher - Digital magic, or the dark arts of the 21st centuryu2014how can journals and peer reviewers detect manuscripts and publications from paper mills? - FEBS Letters (2020) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13747 , 
 Expression of Concern, [4 September 2021] . u201cThe journal would like to alert readers to the fact that the paper has been included in a general set of allegations of several hundred papers described here: https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 02 21 the-tadpole-paper-mill . The journal is investigating the allegations according to COPE best practice. In the meantime, the Editor is issuing this Expression of Concern to alert readers with regard to the concerns raised about the reliability of the published images and data. We will provide further updates to readers once the investigations have concludedu201d. ,