Krill Oil's Protective Benefits against Ultraviolet B-Induced Skin Photoaging in Hairless Mice and In Vitro Experiments

• Published in: Marine drugs 2023-08, Vol.21 (9), p.479
• Main Authors: Kim, Jongkyu, Lee, Namju, Chun, Yoon-Seok, Lee, Sang-Hoon, Ku, Sae-Kwang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Analysis; Animal models; Animals; Antioxidants; Ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - pharmacology; Assaying; Cancer therapies; Cell culture; Cell viability; Cells; Collagen; Collagen - metabolism; Diet; Dietary supplements; DNA damage; Dosage and administration; Elastase; Euphausiacea; Fatty acids; Fish oils; Genes; Hairless; Health aspects; Histopathology; Hyaluronic acid; Hyaluronic Acid - pharmacology; In vivo methods and tests; Inflammation; Interstitial collagenase; Krill; krill oil; Marine crustaceans; marine-derived ingredients; Matrix metalloproteinase; Melanoma; Mice; Mice, Hairless; mRNA; Oil; Oral administration; Oxidative stress; Procollagen; Radiation; Radiation damage; Reactive oxygen species; Scavenging; Skin; Skin Aging; Skin cancer; skin photoaging; Synthesis; Transcription; Triglycerides; ultraviolet; Ultraviolet radiation; Ultraviolet Rays - adverse effects; Water loss
• ISSN: 1660-3397; 1660-3397
• DOI: 10.3390/md21090479

Krill oil (KO) shows promise as a natural marine-derived ingredient for improving skin health. This study investigated its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-wrinkle, and moisturizing effects on skin cells and UVB-induced skin photoaging in hairless mice. In vitro assays on HDF, HaCaT, and B16/F10 cells, as well as in vivo experiments on 60 hairless mice were conducted. A cell viability assay, diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity test, elastase inhibition assay, procollagen content test, MMP-1 inhibition test, and hyaluronan production assay were used to experiment on in vitro cell models. Mice received oral KO administration (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) once a day for 15 weeks and UVB radiation three times a week. L-Ascorbic acid (L-AA) was orally administered at 100 mg/kg once daily for 15 weeks, starting from the initial ultraviolet B (UVB) exposures. L-AA administration followed each UVB session (0.18 J/cm ) after one hour. In vitro, KO significantly countered UVB-induced oxidative stress, reduced wrinkles, and prevented skin water loss by enhancing collagen and hyaluronic synthesis. In vivo, all KO dosages showed dose-dependent inhibition of oxidative stress-induced inflammatory photoaging-related skin changes. Skin mRNA expressions for hyaluronan synthesis and collagen synthesis genes also increased dose-dependently after KO treatment. Histopathological analysis confirmed that krill oil (KO) ameliorated the damage caused by UVB-irradiated skin tissues. The results imply that KO could potentially act as a positive measure in diminishing UVB-triggered skin photoaging and address various skin issues like wrinkles and moisturization when taken as a dietary supplement.