Ingestion of sphingolipids restores the skin permeability barrier after damage caused by repeated ultraviolet B irradiation in mice

Extract

Conflict of interest: none declared.

Ingestion of sphingolipids is reported to provide potential benefits in improving the function of the skin permeability barrier.1 However, whether ingestion of sphingolipids confers any beneficial effects on the permeability barrier dysfunction caused by ultraviolet (UV)B irradiation has not been assessed. This assessment is necessary for practical use of sphingolipids, not only because the skin is affected by UVB irradiation, but also because the mechanism by which UVB irradiation abrogates the skin permeability barrier is unique. UVB–induced barrier disruption is not attributable to changes in the total ordinary ceramide levels, but rather exerts its effects through increased epidermal proliferation.2 In addition, no study has to date determined the best type of sphingolipids to use.

We carried out a study to examined the preventive effects of ingesting sphingolipids [dihydroceramide (DHC), glucosylceramide (GC) and sphingomyelin (SM)] on barrier dysfunction caused by repetitive UVB irradiation in mice. All animal procedures were approved by the Ethics of Animal Experimentation Committee of Mizkan Group Corporation.