The effect of processed water on constitutive and ultraviolet-A-radiation-induced level of mitochondrial DNA mutations in human dermal fibroblasts

Abstract

The integrity of the mitochondrial genome is of crucial importance for the cellular energy metabolism, and increased mutation rates are causally related to premature ageing. We demonstrate that replacement of normal deionized water with processed water in cell culture medium decreases the constitutive levels of the most frequent large-scale deletion of the mitochondrial genome in human dermal fibroblasts. In addition the presence of processed water also prevented the generation of the common deletion which was induced in these cells by repetitive UVA irradiation (3 x 8 J/cm(2) daily). Thus, processed water appears to protect the mitochondrial genome and may thus exert anti-oxidative and anti-ageing effects.