Unveiling the photodamage mechanism of sphingolipid molecules via laser flash photolysis and EPR

Sphingolipids are involved in the maintenance of the skin barrier function and regulate cellular processes of keratinocytes. The work reported here is designed to uncover details of the mechanism of damage to such lipids by UV radiation. Our approach employs laser flash photolysis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometry to explore the mechanism of the decay reactions, and to determine the associated kinetic parameters. To interpret our experiments, we computed both excitation energies and EPR parameters of radicals formed during photolysis. Employing the spin-trap EPR method confirmed the formation of both carbon- and nitrogen-centered radicals. Thus, we can conclude that the photodecomposition of sphingolipids and their analogues proceeds by Norrish type I reactions with the formation of both nitrogen-centered and alkyl radicals.