Effects and Mechanism of the Leontopodium alpinum Callus Culture Extract on Blue Light Damage in Human Foreskin Fibroblasts

Developing Plant Exosomes as an Advanced Delivery System for Cosmetic Peptide

Peptides are a promising skincare ingredient, but due to their inherent instability and the barrier function of the skin's surface, they often have limited skin absorption and penetration, which can significantly hinder their skincare benefits. To address this, a novel technique called NanoGlow has been introduced for encapsulating peptide-based cosmetic raw materials into engineered nanosized plant-derived exosomes (pExo) to achieve the goal of a healthier and more radiant skin state. In this approach, pExo served as carriers for cosmetic peptides across the intact skin barrier, enhancing their biological effectiveness in skin beauty. The NanoGlow strategy combines chemical activation and physical proencapsulation, boasting a high success rate and straightforward and stable operation, making it suitable for large-scale production. Comprehensive analysis using in vitro cellular absorption and skin penetration models has demonstrated that the nanosized pExo carriers significantly improve peptide penetration into the skin compared to free peptides. Furthermore, in vivo tissue slice studies have shown that pExo carriers efficiently deliver acetyl hexapeptide-8 to the skin's dermis, surpassing the performance of free peptides. Cosmetic skincare effect analysis has also indicated that pExo-loaded cosmetic peptides deliver superior results. Therefore, the NanoGlow technique harnesses the natural size and properties of pExo to maximize the bioavailability of cosmetic peptides, holding great promise for developing advanced peptide delivery systems in both the cosmetic and medical drug industries.

Improvement in Yield of Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Edelweiss Callus Treated with LED Light and Enhancement of Skin Anti-Aging Indicators

The process of skin aging is currently recognized as a disease, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are being used to care for it. While various EVs are present in the market, there is a growing need for research on improving skin conditions through microbial and plant-derived EVs. Edelweiss is a medicinal plant and is currently an endangered species. Callus culture is a method used to protect rare medicinal plants, and recently, research on EVs using callus culture has been underway. In this study, the researchers used LED light to increase the productivity of Edelweiss EVs and confirmed that productivity was enhanced by LED exposure. Additionally, improvements in skin anti-aging indicators were observed. Notably, M-LED significantly elevated callus fresh and dry weight, with a DW/FW ratio of 4.11%, indicating enhanced proliferation. Furthermore, M-LED boosted secondary metabolite production, including a 20% increase in total flavonoids and phenolics. The study explores the influence of M-LED on EV production, revealing a 2.6-fold increase in concentration compared to darkness. This effect is consistent across different plant species (Centella asiatica, Panax ginseng), demonstrating the universality of the phenomenon. M-LED-treated EVs exhibit a concentration-dependent inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, surpassing dark-cultured EVs. Extracellular melanin content analysis reveals M-LED-cultured EVs' efficacy in reducing melanin production. Additionally, the expression of key skin proteins (FLG, AQP3, COL1) is significantly higher in fibroblasts treated with M-LED-cultured EVs. These results are expected to provide valuable insights into research on improving the productivity of plant-derived EVs and enhancing skin treatment using plant-derived EVs.

Active Components of Leontopodium alpinum Callus Culture Extract for Blue Light Damage in Human Foreskin Fibroblasts

Leontopodium alpinum is a source of raw material for food additives and skin health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the application of Leontopodium alpinum callus culture extract (LACCE) to prevent blue light damage to the skin. We screened and identified the blue light-damage-protecting activities and mechanisms of ten components of LACCE, including chlorogenic acid (A), isoquercitrin (B), isochlorogenic acid A (C), cynaroside (D), syringin (E), isochlorogenic acid (F), cynarin (G), rutin (H), leontopodic acid A (I), and leontopodic acid B (J), using a novel blue light-induced human foreskin fibroblast (HFF-1) cell injury model. The study examined the cytotoxicity of ten ingredients using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and selecting concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 μM for experiments with a cell viability above 65%. We explored the effects and mechanisms of action of these LACCE components in response to blue light injury using Western blotting and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We also measured ROS secretion and Ca2+ influx. Our study revealed that leontopodic acid A effectively boosted COI-1 expression, hindered MMP-1 expression, curbed ROS and Ca2+ endocytosis, and reduced OPN3 expression. These results provide theoretical support for the development of new raw materials for the pharmaceutical and skincare industries.