Purple Corn Silk Extract Attenuates UVB-Induced Inflammation in Human Keratinocyte Cells
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Thank you very much for submitting your manuscript title: Purple corn silk extract attenuates UVB-induced inflammation in human keratinocyte cells for Scientia Pharmaceutica. I welcome this manuscript regarding inhibitory effects of UVB-induced inflammation by a new plan extract. It is interesting effects of it based on inflammatory mechanism. However, I think this manuscript is robust scientifically. I hope the authors will revise this manuscript in accordance with my suggestion.
- I know it is a big concern regarding batch effects for almost plan extracts. Avoiding this concern, I hope the authors will address the reproducibility of each PCS batch and/or describe at the standards for them.
- Unfortunately, no dose responses of all the anti- inflammation effects of PCS are detected during 0.3-1.0mg/mL and their effects are similar with all the endpoints. I hope the authors will add the data which we can confirm clear dose response dependence.
- Regarding photos of protein expressions in Fig.3 to 5, they are too small. I don’t feel the need and I hope you will delete them. Thank you.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer 1,
Thank you for your valuable suggestions and comments. I have replied point by point accordingly as attached.
Best regards,
Ramida
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
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This study reported the potential effects of purple corn silk (PCS) extract in attenuating UVB-induced inflammation using human keratinocyte HaCaT cell line. The study is well performed and clearly presented. However, there are some issues requiring further modifications. My comments are as following: 1. Page 1, Line 40: “form” not “from”. 2. Page 3, Line 117: Why the UVB exposure for immunofluorescence of NF-kB staining was only 1 h? 3. Page 5, Line 182: The data are not sufficient to conclude that “PCS extract showed a potent pharmacological inhibitor of the early inflammatory response through attenuating NF-kB activity”. To demonstrate this, it is necessary to compare the inhibitory effect of PCS extract with that of a selective pharmacological inhibitor of NF-kB such as helenalin in terms of reducing inflammatory responses. 4. Page 6, Line 215; Page 7, Line 286: p-value should be >0.05, not <0.05. 5. Discussion: - Is there any data/information about the component of the PCS extract used in this study? - As AP-1 was not studied in this study, it is better to further discuss about the relationship between JNK signaling pathway and NF-kB activity to regulate the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. COX-2 and iNOS). - Is there any explanation for the finding that PCS cannot significantly affect the p38 MAPK activity in the UVB-exposed cells? 6. Please have the manuscript checked by the native scholar. |
Author Response
Dear reviewer 2,
Many thanks for your creative comments and suggestions. I have replied point by point accordingly.
Best regards,
Ramida
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
The Ms- scipharm-1587746 can be accepted with minor revisions:
- Are the PCS concentrations used by the authors derived from previously tested dose response curves? As well as the chosen exposure time and UVB dosage?
- The activation of COX2 and iNOS leads to the production of PGH2 and PGE2, the dosage of these prostaglandins would give a more complete analytical response to the observations presented, also regarding the effects of the proposed PCS treatment.
- Regarding the expression of c-Jun, the pro-apoptotic effect should also be taken into consideration and highlighted.
There are some typos in the text
Author Response
Dear Reviewer 3,
Thank you for your valuable suggestions and comments. I have replied point by point accordingly.
Best regards,
Ramida
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Thank you very much for re-submitting your Manuscript ID 158774, Purple corn silk extract attenuates UVB-induced inflammation in human keratinocyte cells for Scientia Pharmaceutica. I appreciate your revision of this manuscript in accordance with my suggestion.
1. All scientific papers are not acceptable results with only champion data. In case of plant extracts, I know almost them are low reproducibility. I am not sure the detailed process of purple corn silk extract and I hope the authors will address its standard criteria for the reproducibility of your research.
2. Regarding photos of protein expressions in Fig.3 to 5, I cannot recognize the necessity of the band intensity histograms by Western blot analysis and this is common photos. Please delete them. Thank you.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer 1,
I would like to express my sincere thanks for your creative comments and suggestions. The manuscript was revised accordingly point by point as green highlight.
Sincerely yours,
Ramida
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
