Ectoin: an effective natural substance to prevent UVA-induced premature photoaging.

With the help of a new 'UVA stress model', it was shown that Ectoin protects the skin from the effects of UVA-induced cell damage in a number of different ways. Using cell cultures, high-performance thin-layer chromatography, gel electrophoresis mobility shift assays, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, ion exchange chromatography and UV spectroscopy, it was demonstrated that the UVA-induced second messenger release, transcription factor AP-2 activation, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression and mitochondrial DNA mutation could be prevented. The results obtained clearly demonstrate that Ectoin counteracts the effects of UVA-induced and accelerated skin aging at different cell levels. 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel