In this report, we have addressed the effect of oral administration of a hydrophilic extract of the fern Polypodium leucotomos (PL) on the deleterious effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the levels of epidermal and plasmatic antioxidants in hairless rats. We have found that pretreatment with PL effectively reduced glutathione oxidation in both blood and epidermis, suggesting a potent systemic antioxidant effect. In addition, PL inhibited UVR-mediated Langerhans cell (LC) depletion. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of PL as an oral antioxidant and photoimmunoprotective agent and support its employment as a complement to topical sunscreens.

Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article:Data S1. Methods. Table S1. Sequences of StealthTM siRNA. Table S2. Summary of antibodies and conditions used in immunohistochemistry. Figure S1. siRNA-silencing of genes individually or in combination in organotypic skin cultures reduced the expression of target genes effectively. Figure S2. Western blot analysis of 3D cultures showed a decrease of the accumulation of (pro)filaggrin, DSC1, DSG1 in SPINK5 kd cultures, but not in the double knockdowns. Abstract: Chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) induces skin tumors in hairless mice. Daily oral administration of a Polypodium leucotomos (PL) extract significantly delayed tumor development in PL-treated versus non-PL-treated mice. UVR and/or PL treatment modified several oxidative stress markers. In all irradiated mice, erythrocytic glutathione Stransferase (GST) activity and glutathione disulphide (GSSG) content increased and in all PL-treated mice GSSG content decreased, specially in non-irradiated animals, and total plasma anti-oxidant capacity (ORAC) increased. In dorsolateral nontumoral skin of all irradiated mice, glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities increased and GSSG decreased in non-irradiated PL-treated animals. UVR induced a steep increase of p53 expression in epidermal cells. In nontumoral skin, this increase was significantly higher in PL-treated animals than in non-treated mice and can contribute in delaying tumor development, either by repairing the damaged DNA or by increasing apoptosis. These results reinforce the usefulness of PL as systemic photoprotective agent, especially in patients highly sensitive to UVR.

A single dose of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) induces significant changes in blood and skin of hairless mice. Oral administration of a hydrophilic extract of the fern Polypodium leucotomos (PL, 300 mg/kg during 5 days before UVR and for two additional days after irradiation) modulates some of the effects of UVR. Most significantly, PL administration reduced the number of proliferating cells by 13%, increased the number of p53 + cells by 63%, enhanced the antioxidant plasma capacity (ORAC) by 30% and reinforced the network of dermal elastic fibres. Western blot analysis of skin antioxidant-related enzymes failed to demonstrate significant changes caused by PL. Thus, the beneficial effect of PL likely owes to its antioxidant and anti-ROS properties rather than its modulation of the expression of endogenous antioxidant systems. These data provide mechanistic clues for its efficacy as a systemic photoprotective agent with antioxidant and anti-photo-ageing properties.