Researcher Univ. of Seoul Jongno-gu, United States
Disclosure(s):
Soyoung Pang: No financial relationships to disclose
Introduction/Rationale: UVB radiation induces epidermal damage and inflammatory responses through immune-mediated pathways in the skin. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid derived from Cannabis sativa, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in various disease models; however, its therapeutic application in UVB-induced skin inflammation remains limited by poor stability and low bioavailability, largely due to oxidative and photodegradative instability.
Methods: This study was designed with two objectives. First, we aimed to elucidate the intrinsic anti-inflammatory mechanism of CBD in UVB-induced keratinocyte inflammation, with a particular focus on STAT3/c-Jun signaling axis. Second, we sought to evaluate a silicone polymer–based delivery strategy to improve the therapeutic efficacy of CBD in an in vivo UVB-induced skin inflammation model.
Results: To address the first objective, we investigated the effects of CBD on UVB-induced inflammatory responses in the human keratinocyte cell line. UVB irradiation markedly increased IL-6 expression, whereas CBD treatment significantly reduced IL-6 production at both the transcriptional and protein levels. CBD suppressed UVB-induced STAT3 and c-Jun phosphorylation, implicating a previously poorly understood STAT3–c-Jun signaling axis in its anti-inflammatory effects. To address the second one, a silicone polymer–formulated CBD was topically applied to the dorsal skin of UVB-irradiated hairless mice. This formulation was used to assess changes in epidermal thickness and inflammatory skin pathology, thereby evaluating the capacity of polymer-based delivery to enhance local therapeutic efficacy in vivo.
Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that CBD attenuates UVB-induced skin inflammation through modulation of STAT3/c-Jun–dependent signaling in keratinocytes and that a silicone polymer–based delivery represents an effective strategy to overcome stability limitations and improve the in vivo efficacy of topical CBD for UVB-mediated inflammatory skin conditions.
