Related Experiment Videos

Juglans mandshurica leaf extract protects skin fibroblasts from damage by regulating the oxidative defense system

Gunhyuk Park1, Dae Sik Jang, Myung Sook Oh

  • 1Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science, and Kyung Hee East-West Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|June 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

The leaf extract of Manchurian walnut (Juglans mandshurica MAX.) protects human skin cells from oxidative damage. This extract regulates antioxidant systems, preventing collagen breakdown and skin aging.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Biochemistry
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Skin aging results from genetic and environmental factors, often involving reactive oxygen species (ROS) that degrade collagen.
  • Metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) activation by ROS breaks down type I collagen (COL1A1), leading to wrinkles.
  • Manchurian walnut (Juglans mandshurica MAX.) exhibits known anti-tumor, anti-oxidative, and anti-bacterial properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the protective effects of Manchurian walnut leaf extract (JME) against oxidative stress in human skin fibroblasts.
  • To determine if JME can mitigate damage induced by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂).

Main Methods:

  • HS68 human skin fibroblasts were exposed to H₂O₂ with and without JME.
  • Cell viability was assessed using MTT and LDH assays.
  • ROS production, glutathione levels, and antioxidant enzyme activity (heme oxygenase-1, Nrf2) were measured.
  • MMP-1 and COL1A1 levels were quantified.
  • MAPK signaling pathways (ERK, p38, JNK) were analyzed via phosphorylation assays.

Main Results:

  • JME significantly protected HS68 cells from H₂O₂-induced damage in a dose-dependent manner.
  • JME regulated ROS production and enhanced cellular antioxidant defenses by increasing glutathione and heme oxygenase-1 levels via Nrf2 activation.
  • JME prevented H₂O₂-induced MMP-1 elevation and COL1A1 reduction.
  • JME inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK, p38, and JNK signaling pathways.

Conclusions:

  • JME demonstrates significant protective effects against oxidative stress in human skin fibroblasts.
  • The extract functions by modulating the cellular oxidative defense system and inhibiting pro-aging signaling pathways.
  • JME holds potential for preventing skin aging caused by oxidative damage.

Related Concept Videos

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells01:12

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

The skin is divided into epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, the skin's outermost, middle, and inner layers. The human epidermal layer regularly undergoes renewal, where old, dead cells are replaced by new cells. Epidermal stem cells or EpiSCs divide and differentiate to restore the lost cells. For the renewal process, some EpiSCs continuously self-renew. In contrast, few others differentiate into transit-amplifying cells, which later form prickle or spinous cells, followed by granular cells,...
Tissue Renewal without Stem Cells01:23

Tissue Renewal without Stem Cells

After cellular or tissue damage, the resident stem cells present in the human body can locally repair and regenerate the damaged tissue or organ. However, even though some tissues do not have stem cells, they can repair and regenerate with the help of pre-existing cells. For example, beta cells of the pancreas and hepatocytes of the liver can divide to renew and regenerate the tissue. Here, both cell division and cell death are well regulated by homeostasis.
However, failure of such a system...
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis01:23

Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis

The skin plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D, a vital nutrient for various physiological processes in the body. Vitamin D is unique because it can be synthesized in the skin through a series of chemical reactions triggered by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight.
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).
Liver Regeneration01:24

Liver Regeneration

The liver is an important organ in vertebrates that plays an essential role in metabolism. It is also responsible for storing and redistributing nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins in the body. Additionally, the liver releases bile salts which are critical for digesting food and eliminating toxic metabolites from the body.
Cells of Liver
The liver comprises four major types of cells— hepatocytes, stellate, Kupffer, and sinusoidal endothelial cells. The hepatocytes are large...
Introduction to Fibroblasts01:09

Introduction to Fibroblasts

Rudolph Virchow discovered spindle-shaped cells called fibroblasts in 1858. Inactive fibroblasts, called fibrocytes, become activated by various stimuli, such as growth factors and inflammatory cytokines. Activated fibroblasts play a crucial role in wound healing, inflammation, formation of new blood vessels, and cancer progression. Uncontrolled activation of fibroblasts results in fibrosis, the excess deposition of fibrous tissue, which can lead to scarring and affect normal organs. This...