Prediction of skin anti-aging clinical benefits of an association of ingredients from marine and maritime origins: Ex vivo evaluation using a label-free quantitative proteomic and customized data processing approach

BACKGROUND

The application of ingredients from marine and maritime origins is increasingly common in skin care products, driven by consumer expectations for natural ingredients. However, these ingredients are typically studied for a few isolated in vitro activities.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the activity on the skin of an association of ingredients from marine and maritime origins using label-free quantitative proteomic analysis, in order to predict the clinical benefits if used in a skin care product.

METHODS

An aqueous gel containing 6.1% of ingredients from marine and maritime origins (amino acid-enriched giant kelp extract, trace element-enriched seawater, dedifferentiated sea fennel cells) was topically applied on human skin explants. The skin explants' proteome was analyzed in a label-free manner by high-performance liquid nano-chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. A specific data processing pipeline (CORAVALID) providing an objective and comprehensive interpretation of the statistically relevant biological activities processed the results.

RESULTS

Compared to untreated skin explants, 64 proteins were significantly regulated by the gel treatment (q-value ≤ 0.05). Computer data processing revealed an activity of the ingredients on the epidermis and the dermis. These significantly regulated proteins are involved in gene expression, cell survival and metabolism, inflammatory processes, dermal extracellular matrix synthesis, melanogenesis and keratinocyte proliferation, migration, and differentiation.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the tested ingredients could help to preserve a healthy epidermis and dermis, and possibly to prevent the visible signs of skin aging.

[Effects of Browning Inhibitors on Suspension Cells Growth and Secondary Metabolites Production in Changium smyrnioides]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effects of browning inhibitors on Changium smyrnioides suspension cells growth and secondary metabolites production.

METHODS

Different concentrations of V(C), AC, AHC, Na2S2O3 and PVP were added to the light brown suspension cells, and the contents of phenols, total coumarins, bergaptol and bergapten were determined by UV-Vis and HPLC.

RESULTS

PVP with low concentration and V(C) improved the growth of the suspension cells in different degrees. It was showed that the content of phenols in the suspension cells was related to the kinds of browning inhibitors. The addition of V(C) in the medium increased the content of total coumarins significantly. After using 2 mg/mL of V(C), the gross increase rate of total coumarins was 51.53%, which was 4.8 times than that of the control group. The browning phenomenon caused by salicylic acid were inhibited by adding 2 mg/mL of V(C) into suspension culture system (with salicylic acid as the inducer). At the same time, the content of bergaptol and bergapten was increased 25.96% and 33.33%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

V(C) is the best anti-browning agent in this study. It can inhibit browning, and promote cell growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites in Changium smyrnioides suspension cells.

Cytological evaluation of Apiaceae Lindl. from Western Himalayas

The present paper deals with cytological studies on 31 populations covering 17 species belonging to 10 genera of Apiaceae from Western Himalayas. The chromosome numbers in the two species as Chaerophyllum capnoides (n = 11) and Heracleum brunonis (n = 11), along with additional cytotypes for Pimpinella acuminata (n = 9) and Sium latijugum (n = 12) have been reported for the first time on world-wide basis. The genus Pleurospermum, although cytologically worked out earlier from outside India, its species densiflorum (n = 11) makes first representation of the genus from India. Besides, the chromosome number in Chaerophyllum aromaticum (n = 11) have been worked out for the first time from India. The course of meiosis varies from normal to abnormal in different populations of Chaerophyllum villosum, Pimpinella achilleifolia and Sium latijugum while abnormal meiotic course has been observed in all the studied populations of Chaerophyllum acuminatum, C. aromaticum, C. capnoides, Pimpinella acuminata, P. diversifolia, Pleurospermum densiflorum and Vicatia coniifolia. Such taxa are marked with meiotic abnormalities in the form of cytomixis, chromatin stickiness, formation of laggards and bridges resulting into abnormal microsporogenesis. The occurrence of structural heterozygosity has been recorded in the Chaerophyllum acuminatum and C. aromaticum. The effect of these abnormalities is clearly seen on the pollen size and fertility.

[Study on macroscopic and microscopic identification of Saposhnikovia divaricata and its counterfeits]

OBJECTIVE

To provide an identification method for the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata and its three counterfeits.

METHODS

Macroscopic identification and microscopic identification of root transverse section and powder were carried out to distinguish these four species.

RESULTS

For macroscopic characteristics, Saposhnikoviae Radix and its counterfeits can be distinguished by the head of the residual leaf and sections. As for microscopic identification, the feature was not obvious. But there were some differences to distinguish them,such as the number of cork layer, cambium was evident or not, the number of the xylem catheter,the presence or absence of large oil pipe and longitudinal cracks between the part from cortex to xylem.

CONCLUSION

This is a simple and accurate method for distinguish Saposhnikoviae Radix and its counterfeits.

[Difference of shapes and propertiesand microscopic frameworks between wild and cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia]

OBJECTIVE

To find the difference of the shapes and properties and the microscopic frameworks between wild and cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia.

METHOD

The shapes and properties, the characters of transverse section, the powder and disintegrated tissue of roots of medical materials were compared by microscopic measuring.

RESULT

Wild Radix Saposhnikovia had a long conical or cylindrical root, and fewer root branches. It showed a close annulus grain on top root, cortical section of root in light brown colour, many brown oil spots and possessed typical odor, While cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia had many root branches, and showed less annulus grain on top root, cortical section of root in light yellow brown colour, less brown oil spots and possessed light odor. The difference of microscopic histological structure was that wild Radix Saposhnikovia had phloem transverse section of root with many rotundity oil tube lining up 10-22 rings, xylem vessel with radiate rank, and indistinct annual ring. While cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia had phloem transverse section of root with oil tube lining up 10-11 rings and xylem vessel with distinct annual ring.

CONCLUSION

There exists several differences between wild and cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia in shapes and properties and differences of microscopic frameworks. The main characteristics are the differences of shapes and numbers of oil tube of phloem transverse section of root. The cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia of 1-4 years can be recognized by annual rings of xylem vessel.

Constitutive expression of bergaptol O-methyltransferase in Glehnia littoralis cell cultures

We investigated whether exogenously supplied precursors of bergapten, namely umbelliferone, psoralen and bergaptol, could be utilized to produce bergapten without elicitation in Glehnia littoralis cell suspension cultures. The levels of added psoralen and bergaptol in the medium soon decreased, and this was followed by the detection of bergapten in both culture fluid and cells. Umbelliferone was also incorporated but in this case no bergapten was produced; instead, skimmin, umbelliferone monoglucoside, was detected. To determine whether conversion of psoralen to bergapten was due to enzyme induction by precursor feeding, the transcript accumulations and enzyme activities of bergaptol O-methyltransferase (BMT, EC 2.1.1.69), which catalyzes the last step of bergapten synthesis, and of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL, EC 4.3.1.5), which catalyzes the initial step of the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway and is known as a marker enzyme of elicitation, were examined. The results showed that both the expression and the activity of BMT were always detected in all cells, including control cells. Since PAL was slightly induced in the cells supplied with/without precursors, phenylethyl alcohol (PEA, a competitive inhibitor of PAL) was applied to suspension cells prior to the addition of psoralen. PAL activity was effectively inhibited by PEA at 1-5 mM concentrations. Under these conditions, PEA did not affect bergapten production by cell cultures fed with psoralen at all. These results demonstrate that BMT is constitutively expressed in G. littoralis cell cultures.

A phytochemical study of lignans in whole plants and cell suspension cultures of Anthriscus sylvestris

In the roots of Anthriscus sylvestris 12 different lignans were detected. Arctigenin, dimethylmatairesinol, dimethylthujaplicatin, podophyllotoxin, 7-hydroxyyatein and 7-hydroxyanhydropodorhizol have not been previously reported to be present in A. sylvestris. In the cell suspension cultures, which were initiated for this study, trace amounts of deoxypodophyllotoxin could be detected. With these cell suspension cultures we carried out feeding experiments using deoxypodophyllotoxin, yatein and, anhydropodorhizol. Yatein had a toxic effect on the cell cultures and was, like anhydropodorhizol, not converted into any detectable product. Deoxypodophyllotoxin, in contrast, was converted into podophyllotoxin, yielding significantly higher concentration than measured in whole plants.

Responses of anthocyanin-producing and non-producing cells of Glehnia littoralis to radical generators

The responses of anthocyanin-producing (violet) and non-producing (white) cells of Glehnia littoralis to radical generators were compared. Cell growth, anthocyanin content, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity and furanocoumarin production were determined after treatment with H(2)O(2), 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), X-ray and yeast extract, independently. AAPH and H(2)O(2) repressed the growth of both violet and white cells, but violet cells grew better than white cells. On the other hand, the anthocyanin content in violet cells decreased. Neither X-ray nor yeast extract affected cell growth or pigment production. Treatment with H(2)O(2), yeast extract, and X-ray, but not AAPH, induced PAL activity and furanocoumarin production in white cell cultures, whereas violet cell cultures did not produce furanocoumarin following any of the treatment employed.

Lipoxygenase isoforms in elicitor-treated parsley cell suspension cultures

Treatment of parsley cell cultures with a fungal elicitor triggered the induction of a lipoxygenase isoform which may be involved in the de novo synthesis of defence-response inducers, such as jasmonic acid or 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid.

Receptor-mediated increase in cytoplasmic free calcium required for activation of pathogen defense in parsley

Transient influx of Ca(2+) constitutes an early element of signaling cascades triggering pathogen defense responses in plant cells. Treatment with the Phytophthora sojae-derived oligopeptide elicitor, Pep-13, of parsley cells stably expressing apoaequorin revealed a rapid increase in cytoplasmic free calcium ([Ca(2+)](cyt)), which peaked at approximately 1 microM and subsequently declined to sustained values of 300 nM. Activation of this biphasic [Ca(2+)](cyt) signature was achieved by elicitor concentrations sufficient to stimulate Ca(2+) influx across the plasma membrane, oxidative burst, and phytoalexin production. Sustained concentrations of [Ca(2+)](cyt) but not the rapidly induced [Ca(2+)](cyt) transient peak are required for activation of defense-associated responses. Modulation by pharmacological effectors of Ca(2+) influx across the plasma membrane or of Ca(2+) release from internal stores suggests that the elicitor-induced sustained increase of [Ca(2+)](cyt) predominantly results from the influx of extracellular Ca(2+). Identical structural features of Pep-13 were found to be essential for receptor binding, increases in [Ca(2+)](cyt), and activation of defense-associated responses. Thus, a receptor-mediated increase in [Ca(2+)](cyt) is causally involved in signaling the activation of pathogen defense in parsley.

Phenolic content in differentiated tissue cultures of untransformed and Agrobacterium-transformed roots of anise (Pimpinella anisum L.)

To investigate the role of differentiation of anise tissue cultures on total phenolic and anethole contents, benzylaminopurine- and thidiazuron-induced shoot cultures were generated from roots of the A-8 clonal line and its Agrobacterium rhizogenes-induced genetically transformed derivative JB-10. Embryogenic cultures were induced following 2,4-D treatment. Root cultures were multiplied on hormone-free medium. The effect of proline on differentiation and phenolic synthesis was also investigated. GC/MS studies indicate that anethole was not produced in root or other differentiated cultures. The predominant phenolic metabolite, however, was an anethole precursor, epoxypseudoisoeugenol-2-methylbutyrate (EPB). Total phenolics and EPB contents were highest in root cultures, which also correlated with higher proline content. Embryo and shoot cultures had reduced phenolic level and EPB and proline contents. Antioxidant activity in all differentiating cultures was high on day 60 compared to that on day 30, and there was no significant difference between differentiating tissues. This indicated that antioxidant protection might be linked not only to phenolics but to other nonphenolic metabolites as well.

[Pharmacognostical studies on radix Glehniae (Glehnia littoralis)]

OBJECT

To identify the roots of Glehnia littoralis Fr. Schmidt ex Miq., and compare the chemical constituents of the root skin and the roots with no skin.

METHODS

The roots were identified by morphological and microscopic identification and TLC.

RESULTS

The characteristics of the secretory canal, ray and starch grain can be used to identify the histology and powder of the roots. The chemical constituents of the root skin and the roots with no skin are similar.

CONCLUSION

The characteristics of the morphology, histology and powder can be used to identify the roots of Glehnia littoralis (Radix Glehniae).

[Microscopic and TLC identification on the fruits of ten species plants for Umbelliferae]

The fruits of ten species plants of Umbelliferae, including the fruits of Peucedanum decursiyum, Saposhnikovia divaricata, Peucedanum terebinthaceun, Anethum graveolens, Cnidium monnieri, Angelica sinensis, Foeniculum vulgate, Angelica polymorpha, Ferula tunnshanica and Cicuta virosa were identified on histology and TLC.

Induction of furanocoumarin biosynthesis in Glehnia littoralis cell suspension cultures by elicitor treatment

Cell suspension cultures were established from Glehnia littoralis plants belonging to two different geographic strains. When the cells were treated with yeast extract, they started to produce and excrete furanocoumarins into the culture medium; a major component, bergapten, and a minor one, xanthotoxin, were detected and identified by HPLC and GC/MS. Changes in phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity and furanocoumarin production after elicitor treatment were traced, showing that PAL activity increased rapidly, reached a maximum after 24 h, and then declined to the normal level after 96 h which preceded the induced bergapten production. The induced-PAL activity of the cultured cells established from an S-type plant which accumulated trace amounts of furanocoumarins was about 50% of that in the cultured cells from an N-type plant that accumulated more than 0.1% furanocoumarins in the underground parts. However, the elicited production of bergapten was about six times higher in the cell cultures from the S-type plant. Addition of the PAL inhibitor 2-aminoindan-2-phosphoric acid (AIP) at 10 microM suppressed the induction of PAL activity and furanocoumarin production.