L-Ergothioneine Protects Skin Cells against UV-Induced Damage—A Preliminary Study

Many changes related to aging at the cellular level may be due to the physiological
condition of mitochondria. One of the most common types of damage of mtDNA is the
so-called “common deletion” referring to a deletion of 4977 base pairs. In the skin cells this
phenomenon probably is caused by oxidative damage of mtDNA induced by UV. The present
study was aimed at evaluating the effect of the antioxidant L-ergothioneine on UV-induced
damage in skin cells. The effect of L-ergothioneine on the reduced glutathione level was
studied. The presence of the “common deletion” in human fibroblasts irradiated with UVA
and treated with L-ergothioneine was evaluated by a polymerase chain reaction. We have
demonstrated that L-ergothioneine enhanced the level of reduced glutathione and protected
cells from the induction of a photoaging-associated mtDNA “common deletion”. In view of
our results, L-ergothioneine could be an effective skin care and anti-photoaging ingredient.

See PDF: L-Ergothioneine Protects Skin Cells against UV-Induced
Damage—A Preliminary Study