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Published on: September 29, 2015
Chlorella Hot Water Extract Restores Collagen Production in Senescent Fibroblasts Through Reversal of
Sou Kageyama1, Yusei Sato1, Zenaida Aurea Krizza B Escareal1
1Department of Marine Resource Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Marine Science, Kochi University, Oko-cho Kohashu Nankoku-shi, Kochi 783-8502, Japan.
Background:
Cellular senescence is accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction and decline in type I collagen production, contributing to age-related tissue deterioration. However, the post-transcriptional mechanisms underlying senescence-associated collagen decline remain poorly understood.
Methods:
Here, we investigated the effects of chlorella hot water extract (CHWE) on mitochondrial function and collagen production in senescent human fibroblasts.
Results:
CHWE restored mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP production, and redox balance through upregulation of SOD2. Notably, CHWE increased collagen protein levels without altering COL1A1 mRNA, indicating post-transcriptional regulation. miRNA profiling across young, senescent, and CHWE-treated senescent fibroblasts revealed that miR-193a-5p was upregulated during senescence (1.73-fold) and normalized by CHWE treatment. Functional validation confirmed that miR-193a-5p mimic suppressed COL1A1 protein. These findings identify a senescence-miR-193a-5p-COL1A1 axis in which age-dependent miR-193a-5p accumulation represses collagen translation, and CHWE reverses this process. By simultaneously restoring mitochondrial bioenergetic capacity and relieving miRNA-mediated translational repression, CHWE promotes efficient collagen recovery in senescent cells through complementary mechanisms.
Conclusions:
This study reveals a translational regulatory mechanism of collagen decline during cellular aging and highlights CHWE as a functional food supplement and a potential multi-target agent for age-related tissue deterioration.
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