Protective effect of gelatin polypeptides from Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) against UV irradiation-induced damages by inhibiting inflammation and improving transforming growth factor-β/Smad signaling pathway.

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation results in skin damage, collagen reduction in the dermis, and consequently, premature skin aging (photoaging). The goal of this study was to examine the effect of gelatin hydrolysate (CH) from pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) skin on UV irradiation-induced inflammation and collagen reduction of photoaging mouse skin. The effect of CH on the activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes was investigated. The expressions of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), proinflammatory cytokines, type I and type III procollagen, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), type II receptor of TGF-β1 (TGF-βRII), and Smad7 were determined using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and ELISA. The results showed that oral administration of CH suppressed UV irradiation-induced damages to skin by inhibiting the depletion of endogenous antioxidant enzyme activity, and by suppressing the expression of NF-κB as well as NF-κB-mediated proinflammatory cytokines expression. Furthermore, CH inhibited type I procollagen synthesis reduction by up-regulating TβRII level and down-regulating Smad7 level, which demonstrates that CH is involved in matrix collagen synthesis by activating the TGF-β/Smad pathway in the photoaging skin. Based on these results, we conclude that CH protected skin from UV irradiation-induced photodamages, and CH may be a potentially effective agent for the prevention of photoaging.