The Inhibition of Oxidative Stress by Chios Gum Mastic is Associated with Autophagy

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Chios Gum Mastic (CGM) is a natural resin extracted fromthe leaves of Pistacia lentiscus, a plant endemic to the Greekisland of Chios. It has been used by traditional healers, and ithas antibacterial, antifungal properties, and therapeuticbenefits for the skin. The CGM reduces the formation ofdental plaque and bacterial growth in oral saliva, and recentstudies have demonstrated the role of antioxidant activity ofCGM. Although CGM has been widely investigated, itsprotective effect against oxidative-damage to keratinocytes,as well as the relationship between CGM and autophagy, hasnot been investigated. The aim of this study was to assess theprotective effect of CGM against H2O2-induced oxidativestress and to evaluate the autophagic features induced byCGM in human keratinocytes. The pretreatment with CGMsignificantly reduced apoptosis in H2O2-exposed HaCaTcells. It promoted the degradation of caspase-3, caspase-8,and caspase-9; and it induced the formation of the processedPARP. The treatment with CGM caused an increase invesicle formation compared to control group. The level ofp62 was reduced and the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II wasincreased in CGM treated HaCaT cells. Also, the treatment with CGM increased cleavage of ATG5-ATG12 complex. Insummary, CGM helps the cells to survive under stressfulconditions by preventing apoptosis and enhancingautophagy. Besides, the present investigation providesevidence to support the antioxidant potential of CGM in vitroand opens up a new horizon for future experiments.