A Potato Peel Extract Stimulates Type I Collagen Synthesis via Akt and ERK Signaling in Normal Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Apple Pomace Extract Induces Cell Proliferation and Increases Type I Collagen and Hyaluronan Production in Human Skin Fibroblasts In Vitro

Apple pomace is the residue left after apples are squeezed. The majority of pomace produced worldwide is produced by the apple manufacturing industry, however, most of the pomace produced by the industry is discarded. Apple pomace contains functional ingredients, such as polyphenols and triterpenoids, and exerts several beneficial effects on human health; however, studies on its cosmetic effects on the skin are lacking. Therefore, herein, we investigated the effects of apple pomace extract (APE) on human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) in vitro. When HSFs were cultured with the extract for 72 h, the number of HSFs increased at concentrations of 10 and 20 µg/mL. Transcriptome analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR results revealed that the extract upregulated the expression of hyaluronan synthase (HAS) 1, HAS2, and HAS3 and downregulated the expression of HYAL1, a gene encoding the hyaluronan-degrading enzyme, in HSFs. Additionally, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed increased amounts of factors related to skin extracellular matrix, such as type I collagen and hyaluronic acid, secreted in the culture supernatant. The western blotting results suggested that the extract induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase and protein kinase B phosphorylation in HSFs. Additionally, several GO_Terms related to mitosis were detected in the Gene Ontology analysis. This is the first study to show that APE induces the proliferation of HSFs and production of factors related to skin anti-aging.

Skin Anti-Aging Potential through Whitening and Wrinkle Improvement Using Fermented Oil Derived from Hermetia illucens Larvae

As the aging population increases, so has interest among emerging seniors in anti-aging ingredients that enhance functionality by incorporating fermentation with natural materials. In this study, fermentation conditions for enhancing the functionality of Hermetia illucens larvae oil (HIO) were established, and its anti-aging potential was evaluated. First, the lipase activity and amount of lipid degradation products of the fermentation strains were measured in order to select Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum as the strains with high fermentation ability. A fermentation period of 28 d and a fermentation method that uses only the strain culture medium were established by evaluating the fermentation degree after fermenting HIO with the selected strains. The whitening functionality test results of fermented HIO (FHIO) showed an increase of approximately 20% in extracellular tyrosinase inhibition activity compared with HIO. Additionally, within melanocytes, there was a 12% increase in tyrosinase inhibition activity and a 26% enhancement in melanin production inhibition ability. For wrinkle-improving functionality, it was observed that, for fibroblasts, there was a 10% increase in collagen production, a 9% increase in collagenase inhibition ability, and an 8% increase in elastase inhibition ability. Therefore, FHIO was confirmed to be an effective cosmetic raw material, with high functionality for anti-aging within the senior generation. This is achieved through increased whitening and wrinkle-improving functionality.

Pharmacological Activity of Chemical Compounds of Potato Peel Waste (Solanum tuberosum L.) in vitro: A Scoping Review

Introduction

The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a short-lived tuber plant with a round to oval shape and varying colors, depending on the variety. It is known that only the inside of the potato is used, while the peel is generally discarded. However, recent studies have shown that potato peels contain many health-beneficial compounds.

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the compounds present in potato peels and their in vitro activities.

Methods

A scoping review following the PRISMA guidelines was conducted. The selection process involved identifying articles of in vitro research published within the last 10 years (2012-2022). Electronic searches were conducted using the portals Scopus, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost, and Portal Garuda by using the keywords "potato" or "Solanum tuberosum" and "peel" or "skin". The search was limited to articles in English with full text availability.

Results

The screening process resulted in a total of 4773 articles from the four search engines; 14 articles were obtained that met the requirements for the review, most of which use extract preparations in their research. Extracts of flavonoids, phenols, and glycoalkaloids are the most frequently studied compounds, and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity have undergone extensive research.

Conclusion

The potential compounds contained in potato peels, including flavonoids, phenols, and glycoalkaloids, are highly abundant and offer numerous benefits. Provides opportunities for further research to prove the potential pathway activity of the compound. These compounds have been the subject of extensive research, suggesting their significance in the context of health and nutrition.

Research Progress on the Anti-Aging Potential of the Active Components of Ginseng

Aging is a cellular state characterized by a permanent cessation of cell division and evasion of apoptosis. DNA damage, metabolic dysfunction, telomere damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction are the main factors associated with senescence. Aging increases β-galactosidase activity, enhances cell spreading, and induces Lamin B1 loss, which further accelerate the aging process. It is associated with a variety of diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, type 2 diabetes, and chronic inflammation. Ginseng is a traditional Chinese medicine with anti-aging effects. The active components of ginseng, including saponins, polysaccharides, and active peptides, have antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, neuroprotective, and age-delaying effects. DNA damage is the main factor associated with aging, and the mechanism through which the active ingredients of ginseng reduce DNA damage and delay aging has not been comprehensively described. This review focuses on the anti-aging mechanisms of the active ingredients of ginseng. Furthermore, it broadens the scope of ideas for further research on natural products and aging.

Circ004463 promotes fibroblast proliferation and collagen I synthesis by sponging miR-23b and regulating CADM3/MAP4K4 via activation of AKT/ERK pathways

Skin thickness is closely related to the appearance of human skin, such as sagging and wrinkling, which primarily depends on the level of collagen I synthesized by fibroblasts in the dermal layer. To explore the underlying genetics of the development of skin thickness, we used the indigenous Chinese Chenghua pigs, considered to have superior skin thickness, as model animals. We first performed whole transcriptome sequencing analysis to identify significant skin morphological differences between Chenghua pigs and Large White pigs and obtained some differentially expressed coding RNAs (454 mRNAs) and noncoding RNAs (612 circRNAs, 188 miRNAs, and 19 lncRNAs); moreover, some competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed. Interestingly, we then identified a circRNA, namely circ0044633, which plays an important role in promoting fibroblast proliferation along with myofibroblast transition and collagen I synthesis by sponging miR-23b and regulating CADM3 and MAP4K4 expression via activation of the downstream AKT and ERK pathways in vitro. Furthermore, overexpression of circ004463 increased the mouse skin thickness and collagen I content in vivo. These results revealed a whole transcript profile of skin tissue and identified an important circ0044633-miR-23b-CADM3/MAP4K4 axis related to fibroblast proliferation and collagen I synthesis during the development of skin thickness.

Mechanism of Akt regulation of the expression of collagens and MMPs in conjunctivochalasis

Akt is a central node of many signaling pathways, which plays important roles in cell survival, proliferation, migration, metabolism and collagen synthesis. Conjunctivochalasis (CCH) is one of the most common age-related ocular superficial diseases related to abnormalities in conjunctival extracellular matrix. Here, we studied the role of Akt regulating collagens and MMPs in the pathogenesis of CCH. Primary conjunctival fibroblasts were obtained from CCH patients (n = 13) and age-matched normal controls (n = 10). The levels of Akt, collagen type I, collagen type III, MMP1, and MMP3 were determined by Western blot, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining. Normal control conjunctival fibroblasts were treated with Akt inhibitor A6730, and CCH fibroblasts were transfected with Akt overexpression vector. The expression of Akt in CCH was significantly lower than that in normal control of conjunctival tissues and cultured fibroblasts. Blocking Akt signaling with Akt inhibitor could inhibit the expression of collagen type I and collagen type III and upregulate the expression of MMP1 and MMP3. Meanwhile, compared with CCH fibroblasts transfected with control mimics, the protein and mRNA expression of collagen type I and collagen type III were increased significantly in Akt overexpression group, while the results of MMP1 and MMP3 in transfected fibroblasts were opposite. Taken together, Akt upregulated the expression of collagen type I and collagen type III and downregulated the expression of MMP1 and MMP3. Akt signaling pathway could provide a direct negative contribution to CCH and might be an attractive target for CCH therapy.

Improvement of irradiation-induced fibroblast damage by α2-macroglobulin through alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction

CONTEXT

α2-Macroglobulin (α2-M) is believed to be a potential anti-irradiation agent, but related mechanisms remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the irradiation protective effect of α2-M.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 10 Gy dose of irradiation was used to damage human skin fibroblasts. The influence of α2-M (100 µg/mL) on the proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of fibroblasts was observed using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), wound healing, transwell, and flow cytometry. Malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and catalase was measured using related ELISA kits. The levels of mitochondrial membrane potential and calcium were detected using flow cytometry. The expression of transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) was investigated through western blotting and immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS

High purity of α2-M was isolated from Cohn fraction IV. α2-M significantly increased cell proliferation, migration, invasion, but suppressed cell apoptosis after irradiation. The promotion of cell proliferation, migration and invasion by α2-M exceeded over 50% compared group irradiation. The increased cell ratio in the S phase and decreased cell ratio in the G2 phase induced by irradiation were remarkably reversed by α2-M. α2-M markedly suppressed the increased oxidative stress level caused by irradiation. The mitochondrial damage induced by irradiation was improved by α2-M through inhibiting mitochondrial membrane potential loss, calcium and TRPM2 expression.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

α2-M significantly promoted the decreased fibroblast viability and improved the mitochondria dysfunction caused by irradiation. α2-M might present anti-radiation effect through alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction caused by irradiation. This study could provide a novel understanding about the improvement of α2-M on irradiation-induced injury.

Recent Advances in Herbal-Derived Products with Skin Anti-Aging Properties and Cosmetic Applications

Although aesthetic benefits are a desirable effect of the treatment of skin aging, it is also important in controlling several skin diseases, mainly in aged people. The development of new dermocosmetics has rapidly increased due to consumers' demand for non-invasive products with lower adverse effects than those currently available on the market. Natural compounds of plant origin and herbal-derived formulations have been popularized due to their various safe active products, which act through different mechanisms of action on several signaling pathways for skin aging. Based on this, the aim of the review was to identify the recent advances in herbal-derived product research, including herbal formulations and isolated compounds with skin anti-aging properties. The studies evaluated the biological effects of herbal-derived products in in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies, highlighting the effects that were reported in clinical trials with available pharmacodynamics data that support their protective effects to treat, prevent, or control human skin aging. Thus, it was possible to identify that gallic and ferulic acids and herbal formulations containing Thymus vulgaris, Panax ginseng, Triticum aestivum, or Andrographis paniculata are the most promising natural products for the development of new dermocosmetics with skin anti-aging properties.

Probiotic Activity of Staphylococcus epidermidis Induces Collagen Type I Production through FFaR2/p-ERK Signaling

Collagen type I is a key structural component of dermis tissue and is produced by fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix. The skin aging process, which is caused by intrinsic or extrinsic factors, such as natural aging or free radical exposure, greatly reduces collagen expression, thereby leading to obstructed skin elasticity. We investigated the effective fermentation of Cetearyl isononanoate (CIN), a polyethylene glycol (PEG) analog, as a carbon source with the skin probiotic bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis (S.epidermidis) or butyrate, as their fermentation metabolites could noticeably restore collagen expression through phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase (p-ERK) activation in mouse fibroblast cells and skin. Both the in vitro and in vivo knockdown of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) or free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFaR2) considerably blocked the probiotic effect of S. epidermidis on p-ERK-induced collagen type I induction. These results demonstrate that butyric acid (BA) in the metabolites of fermenting skin probiotic bacteria mediates FFaR2 to induce the synthesis of collagen through p-ERK activation. We hereby imply that metabolites from the probiotic S. epidermidis fermentation of CIN as a potential carbon source could restore impaired collagen in the dermal extracellular matrix (ECM), providing integrity and elasticity to skin.