Synergy of UV light and heat in peptide degradation

TY - JOUR

T1 - Synergy of UV light and heat in peptide degradation

AU - Vagkidis, Nikolaos

AU - Li, Lijuan

AU - Marsh, Jennifer M.

AU - Chechik, Victor

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank The Procter & Gamble Company and University of York for support of this work. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)

PY - 2023/5/1

Y1 - 2023/5/1

N2 - Degradation of peptides and proteins by UV light involves formation of hydroperoxide intermediates. We hypothesised that accumulation of these hydroperoxides would enhance subsequent further damage upon heating, resulting in UV and heat acting synergistically. The enhanced peptide/protein degradation is particularly relevant for dead biological tissues such as human hair, which are often subjected to alternating UV (i.e., sunlight exposure) and heat (e.g., flat ironing) treatments. The light-heat synergism hypothesis was tested using short protected peptides as protein mimics. By quantifying oxidative peptide degradation, we confirmed synergistic action of UV light and subsequent heat treatment. A combination of analytical techniques including mass spectrometry and isotope exchange experiments was used to detect and quantify hydroperoxide intermediates formed upon UV exposure. Their role in peptide degradation was further confirmed by treatment with NaBH4 which destroyed hydroperoxides and increased thermal stability. Expanding these model results to a real system, we have demonstrated that thermal degradation of human hair is enhanced by the preceding treatment with solar-simulated light.

AB - Degradation of peptides and proteins by UV light involves formation of hydroperoxide intermediates. We hypothesised that accumulation of these hydroperoxides would enhance subsequent further damage upon heating, resulting in UV and heat acting synergistically. The enhanced peptide/protein degradation is particularly relevant for dead biological tissues such as human hair, which are often subjected to alternating UV (i.e., sunlight exposure) and heat (e.g., flat ironing) treatments. The light-heat synergism hypothesis was tested using short protected peptides as protein mimics. By quantifying oxidative peptide degradation, we confirmed synergistic action of UV light and subsequent heat treatment. A combination of analytical techniques including mass spectrometry and isotope exchange experiments was used to detect and quantify hydroperoxide intermediates formed upon UV exposure. Their role in peptide degradation was further confirmed by treatment with NaBH4 which destroyed hydroperoxides and increased thermal stability. Expanding these model results to a real system, we have demonstrated that thermal degradation of human hair is enhanced by the preceding treatment with solar-simulated light.

KW - Hair damage

KW - Hydroperoxides

KW - Hydroxyl radical

KW - Protein oxidation

KW - Thermal treatment

KW - UV light

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85148355486&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2023.114627

DO - 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2023.114627

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85148355486

SN - 1010-6030

VL - 439

JO - Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry

JF - Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry

M1 - 114627

ER -