Background: This study were to investigate the effect of Pediococcus pentosaceus fermented Radix astragali (AMRP) and non-fermented products (AMRNP) on collagen synthesis in the cultures of human dermal fibroblasts, and their inhibitory effects on the matrix-degrading enzymes (collagenase, elastase, and gelatinase).
Methods and Results: Both AMRP and AMRNP significantly improved cell growth and proliferation of HDF cells. However, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis demonstrated that AMRP, but not AMRNP, significantly and dose-dependently stimulated the biosynthesis of type I procollagen in both aged (74 y) and young (21 y) HDF cells. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed that expression of type I, type III procollagen and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) mRNA was significantly stronger in AMRP-treated HDF cells than that of AMRNP-treated and un-treated HDF cells. The AMRP revealed an increase in astragaloside Ⅳ only depending on increase in fermentation period, because other astragalside converted to astragaloside Ⅳ, which it detached acyl group by fermentation processing of Pediococcus pentosaceus.
Conclusion: The results also suggested that AMRP could stimulate the collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts, which is, associated with the regulation of procollagen biosynthesis resulting from AMRP-induced TGF-β1 expression and the mitogenic activity in HDF cells, and therefore, is expected to reduce the age-dependent loss of extracellular matrix proteins.