Effects of small molecular weight deer antler collagen extract complex (NP-2007C) on skin moisturizing and improvement of skin wrinkles

This study aimed to investigate the effects of small molecular weight deer antler collagen extract complex (NP-2007C) on skin moisturizing and improvement of skin wrinkles. In HaCaT cells, NP-2007C treatment significantly increased the contents of procollagen type I and hyaluronic acid (HA) as well as the gene expression levels of hyaluronic acid synthase 1 (HAS1), HAS2, filaggrin, and aquaporin 3 (AQP3). In hairless mice, the contents of collagen type I, HA, and ceramide significantly increased in the NP-2007C-fed group. In addition, when NP-2007C was treated in HaCaT cells irradiated with UVB, the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) decreased, while the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) increased. In the NP-2007C-fed group in hairless mice, skin moisture content increased, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) decreased. Furthermore, wrinkle formation was improved in the NP-2007C-fed group in UVB-irradiated hairless mice, and the enzymatic activity of cytokines such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and IL-6 decreased. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that NP-2007C has sufficient development value as health functional food for improving skin health by suppressing UVB-induced oxidative stress and regulating skin moisturizing and wrinkle-related signaling pathways.