Asian J Beauty Cosmetol. 2012; 10(3): 571-579.
Protective Effects of the Natural Ingredient Quercetin in Human Dermal Fibroblasts
ABSTRACT
Quercetin is a polyflavonoid used at the raw material of foods, cosmetics, medicines as an anti-oxidant, antiallergic,
anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory agent. However, its intracellular mechanisms and signaling pathways
on skin cells are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of quercetin
in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). To determine cell viability on quercetin, we performed MTT assay in
quercetin-treated HDFs. Quercetin did not cause any significant changes in viability of HDFs. Quercetin
induced accumulation of p53 and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. Cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry in
quercetin-treated HDFs determined that quercetin caused G2/M phase arrest in a dose-dependent manner.
DNA microarray analysis revealed that expression of various genes were regulated in quercetin-treated HDFs,
and several transcripts showing critical levels of changes in their expression were validated by qRT-PCR.
Quercetin induced the expression of HO-1, E2F7, TP53I3, known to be associated with cell protection, in doseand
time-dependent manners. Taken together, these results demonstrate that quercetin may be used as an
effective cosmeceutical material useful for protection of the dermal skin.
Keywords :
Quercetin, Human dermal fibroblast, MAPK, p53, Gene expression
