Oral administration of Polypodium leucotomos delays skin tumor development and increases epidermal p53 expression and the anti-oxidant status of UV-irradiated hairless mice

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 S-transferase (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 non-tumoral 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 non-tumoral 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.