Skin aging occurs when the structure of the skin begins to weaken, which leads to the formation of wrinkles. This is linked to a decrease in levels of type 1 collagen – the main structural component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) – and a reduction in the function of cells called dermal fibroblasts.
According to new findings published in Nutrition Research, wheat and pea peptones could act on both of these factors: “These results suggest that the vegetable peptones are involved in attenuating skin aging possibly by promoting cell proliferation and type I procollagen production,” wrote scientists from Biospectrum Life Science Institute, Eulji University, Gachon University, and Sungkyunkwan University.
Study details
The scientists performed in vitro experiments involving the exposing human dermal fibroblasts to vegetable peptones for five hours. Vegetable peptones are plant-derived peptides that are produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of select protein-rich vegetable raw materials. The Korean researchers used wheat peptone and pea peptone obtained from French company Fluka.
Results showed that cell proliferation was significantly increased in a concentration-dependent manner, meaning the more vegetable peptones present, the greater the promotion.
The researchers also reported that type-1 collagen production was boosted by activating a target called the human luciferase type I collagen alpha-2 (COL1A2) promoter.
“Chronic exposure of skin to the sun is associated with multiple alterations in skin structure and function,” wrote the researchers. “One of these changes is rearrangement of collagen and elastic fibers in the ECM of the dermis. In addition, the proliferation potential of dermal fibroblasts is significantly damaged by chronic sun exposure.
“In our study, the vegetable peptones promoted proliferation and type I collagen production. We also found that the reduction in type I collagen and cell proliferation potential by UV irradiation was recovered by treatment with the vegetable peptones (data not shown). Therefore, vegetable peptones, with their anti-skin aging effects by inducing collagen production and cell proliferation, may be useful as an agent for attenuating skin aging.”
Despite the encouraging in vitro data shown in the new study, the researchers cautioned that this is only in vitro data and that further research is required before it can be confidently concluded that vegetable peptones may benefit skin aging in humans.
Source: Nutrition Research
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2014.10.011
“Vegetable peptones increase production of type I collagen in human fibroblasts by inducing the RSK-CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-β phosphorylation pathway”
Authors: E. Jung, J.Y. Cho, D. Park, et al.