The effect of pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) skin gelatin polypeptides on UV radiation-induced skin photoaging in ICR mice

Gelatin was extracted from Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) skin and hydrolysed sequentially with pepsin and alkaline protease. The hydrolysates were fractionated into two ranges of molecular weight (PEP1: 2000 Da < Mr < 6000 Da; PEP2: Mr < 2000 Da) using ultrafiltration membranes. In this present study, we investigate the protective effects of both polypeptides against ultraviolet radiation-induced skin photoaging by the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and the contents of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydroxyproline (HYP) in photoaging skin tissue. The arrangement of collagen fibres in skin tissue was examined by Van Gienson stain. UV radiation-induced decrease in the antioxidase activity and depletion of reduced glutathione (20.4%) in the skin of hairless mice in a model group. Compared with the model, both polypeptides can enhance the activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT and the contents of GSH and HYP, and reduce the content of MDA, which minimised the skin photo damage. Moreover, the results of histology study confirmed that both polypeptides could protect collagen fibres in skin.