Fullerene C₆₀ with cytoprotective and cytotoxic potential: prospects as a novel treatment agent in Dermatology?

Abstract

It is known that an excess amount of (oxygen) radicals in the skin can lead to (local cellular) oxidative stress. From one side, oxidative stress can contribute to the existence of various (inflammatory) skin diseases such as acne vulgaris and alopecia, as well as to accelerated photo-ageing of the skin. From the other side, oxidative stress could also be a wanted process for curing particular skin diseases, such as skin cancer and microbial skin infections. Therefore, novel treatment agents with the ability to scavenge or generate radicals can potentially be meaningful in the treatment of various skin diseases, especially for those diseases that have limited effective treatment options. This viewpoint essay will discuss the potential of fullerene C 60 , i.e. buckminsterfullerene, derivatives as novel treatment agents in dermatology. Fullerene C 60 is an all carbon molecule with a unique dual ability; fullerene C 60 can act as a radical scavenger or as an oxygen radical generator. Hence, fullerene C 60 derivatives offers most interesting prospects as a therapeutic protective or therapeutic toxic agent. Because of their extraordinary physicochemical properties and numerous chemical functionalization possibilities, chemists can design derivatives with a wide scope of unique properties. The experimental data, mostly from in vitro and in vivo animal studies, on the safety and therapeutic potential of fullerene C 60 derivatives, in the field of dermatology will be discussed. K E Y W O R D Santicancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, dermatology, fullerene C 60 , inflammatory skin diseases, photodynamic therapy, reactive oxygen species, topical drug, UVR protection

Near‐Infrared Switchable Fullerene‐Based Synergy Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease

“…Under UV or visible light, C 60 jumps to a metastable triplet excitation state and then yields superoxide anion (O 2 •− ) and singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) through electron transfer or energy transfer pathway . As a powerful photosensitizer (PS), C 60 possesses a broad absorption spectra and a high singlet oxygen quantum yield, which has been used for anticancer, antibacterial, protein or DNA cleavage, and autophagy .…”

Review on the Antimicrobial Properties of Carbon Nanostructures

“…The excited state quickly decays to a lower triplet state that has a longer lifetime (50–100 μs) [ 45 ]. Then, in presence of molecular oxygen ( 3 O 2 ), fullerene may produce ROS, including singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ), through energy transfer photochemical pathway and superoxide anion (O 2 − ) through electron transfer pathway, as illustrated in Figure 2 A [ 46 ]. These radicals are short-lived oxidants containing one or more unpaired electrons excited in their highest occupied atomic/molecular level [ 47 , 48 ].…”

“… ( A ) Schematic representation of fullerene C 60 photochemical pathways leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Reprinted with permission from Reference [ 46 ]; ( B , C ) SEM images of S. oneidensis MR-1 cells treated with C 60 −NH 2 show cellular damage. Cell samples were fixed for SEM images approximately 1 h after exposure to 20 mg/L C 60 −NH 2 .…”

Why do we need fullerenes today?

“…Следовательно, новые лечебные средства, способные поглощать радикалы, могут быть эффективны при лечении различных кожных заболеваний, особенно тех, которые имеют ограниченные варианты лечения. Потенциал и возможность фуллерена для использования в этих целях, экспериментальные данные, в основном из исследований in vitro и in vivo на животных, по безопасности и терапевтическому потенциалу производных фуллерена C 60 в области дерматологии рассматриваются в обзоре [37].…”

“…В опытах in vitro на различных линиях клеток кожи человека был продемонстрирован цитопротективный эффект при введении до, во время и после УФ-облучения следующих производных фуллерена: комплекса фуллерена C 60 с ПВП (комплекс С 60 /ПВП, Radical Sponge™) [48,51,[57][58][59][60], комплекса фуллерена C 60 с γ-циклодекстрином (С 60 /γ-ЦД) [57], фуллерена, включенного в липосомы [37,61], и фуллерена в комбинации с различными фуллеренолами [57,62], а также карбоксифуллерена [63].…”