# Caveolin-1 in Skin Protection Against Radiation-Induced Skin Injuries: Pathophysiological Mechanisms and New Avenues for Prevention

## TL;DR

This paper explores how caveolin-1 (CAV1) can protect skin from radiation injuries and suggests new methods to enhance its protective effects.

## Contribution

The paper introduces new methods using ultrasound and thermo-mechanical stress to enhance CAV1's protective role against radiation.

## Key findings

- CAV1 levels increase rapidly after irradiation, potentially protecting cells from radiation damage.
- Pre-irradiation enhancement of CAV1 through thermo-mechanical stress improves skin protection.
- High-frequency ultrasound can protect skin without reducing cancer cell radiosensitivity.

## Abstract

The identification of caveolin-1 (CAV1) as a universal pathophysiological factor and target for treating various cutaneous conditions and the recognition of its role as a universal factor and target in the protection of cells from genotoxic stress have opened new avenues for protecting skin against radiation-induced skin injuries (RISIs). A significant and rapid increase in CAV1 content in irradiated cells, reaching a maximum at 30–60 min after irradiation, coupled with internalization of epidermal growth factor receptors involved in the activation of homologous recombination and non-homologous end-joining repairing of double-strand breaks in affected cells, can protect the cells from irradiation to some degree. However, a higher level of protection can be achieved when the CAV1 content in the skin is increased before irradiation. Such an enhancement in the expression and translocation of CAV1 can be induced by the local application of thermo-mechanical stress with parameters inducing reinforcement of the actin cytoskeleton in treated cells. The application of very-high-frequency ultrasound waves with frequencies above 10 MHz or combined multi-frequency ultrasound waves can provide new means of protecting against RISIs during radiation therapy without reducing the radiosensitivity of cancer cells.