Parabens are derivatives of the compound 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and are used as anti-microbial preservatives in most topical therapeutic agents as well as in cosmetic products.  It has recently been shown that parabens may be toxic to mammalian cells by acting as hormone agonists or antagonists, cellular enzyme inhibitors, or having analgesic or anesthetic effects.  Ultraviolet light irradiation is an unavoidable environmental stimuli that is known to induce cellular damage of DNA and promote cell death.  Due to increasing levels of environmental pollution and decreasing levels of ozone, more UV-A and UV-B light are able to penetrate our atmosphere each year.  Results of this study show that methylparaben's toxicity is enhanced in the presence of UV-B light in M624 melanoma cells. Data shows that 25 mJ/cm2 UV-B light and 5 mM methylparaben are capable of promoting apoptotic cell death as evidenced by cleavage of the protein poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP), which is a late-apoptotic signal.  Whole cell lipid profiles are modified along with the expression of lipid raft-associated protein Caveolin-1 via UV-B and/or methylparaben treatment as well.  Results suggest involvement on cellular membrane raft domains in methylparaben-mediated UV-B-induced apoptosis in M624 melanoma cells.  Data is significant in developing knowledge of the phototoxic versus protective effects of the common agent, methylparaben, on melanoma skin cells.  All research completed by an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory research team of Marietta College (Marietta, OH), under the direction of Dr. K. Suzanne G. Parsons.

Effects of paraben compounds on ultraviolet light-induced apoptosis in melanoma cells

248th National Meeting (2014)

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