Radioprotective effects of dimethyl sulfoxide in the artificial skin reconstructed with cultured human cells

Ryu, Young Ha; Choi, Karp Shik; Song, In Hwan

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate cultured human artificial skin as an experimental model for studying radiation effects in vitro.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The skin was constructed by culturing keratinocytes over collagen lattice which made by culturing fibroblasts. Two groups were irradiated to gamma rays at single dose of 25 Gy with or without 3.5% of DMSO. Ultrastructures were investigated by electron microscopy after irradiation. The number of epidermal layers and expression of cytokeratin (CK) 14 and 10 were also seem by light microscopy.
RESULTS
At 2 days after irradiation in experimental group without DMSO, necrotic cells were rarely found in the spinosal layer and undercornified cells were visible in the horney layer. Similar findings were also found in experimental group with DMSO but in mild form. The number of epidermal layers in experimental group without DMSO were significantly fewer than other group. CK 14 expressed in all the layer excluding horney layer but CK 10 expressed over 3~4 basal layers. Such patterns of CK expression were similar to all groups. It is suggested that structures of the keratinocytes and epidermal formation could be disturbed by irradiation in artificial skin and that DMSO can protect these damages.
CONCLUSION
Therefore this work could be used as an organotypic experimental model in vitro using human cells for studying radiation effect in skin. Furthermore structural findings provided in this study could be used as useful basic data in further study using this model.