노화가 진행될수록 활성산소종으로 인하여 피부 보습은 떨어지고 피부 장벽은 붕괴되어 피부 가 손상된다. 본 연구에서는 인천 동막 해변에 서식하는 염생식물인 갯끈풀(Spartina anglica; SAE)과 갯메꽃(Calystegia soldanella; CSE)을 70% 에탄올(EtOH)로 추출하여 피부 보습 및 피부 장벽 기능 강화에 대한 효능을 평가하였다. 이 추출물들에 대한 피부 각질형성세포(HaCaT cell) 에서 세포독성을 WST-8 assay를 이용하여, 세포 생존율이 90% 이상을 보이는 농도를 선별하 여 추가 실험을 진행하였다. ABTS 라디칼 소거능을 통해 항산화 효과를 확인한 결과, SAE와 CSE는 높은 라디칼 소거능을 보였다. 피부 보습과 관련된 인자들인 filaggrin (FGL), aquaporin 3 (AQP3), hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2)과 피부 장벽 기능과 연관 있는 transglutaminase 1 (TGM1) 과 involucrin (INV)의 유전자 수준에서의 발현 변화를 측정한 결과, SAE에 의해 AQP3, HAS2, TGM1의 발현이 증가하였으나, CSE는 변화가 없는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. SAE에 의한 세포 내 신호전달 경로를 확인하기 위해 western blot 분석을 수행하였다. Extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen activated protein kinase의 활성이 SAE에 의하여 상향 조절되었음을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과는 갯끈풀 추출물이 피부 보습 및 피 부 장벽 기능 강화를 위한 화장품의 기능성 소재로 사용될 수 있음을 시사한다.

Dry matter allocation characteristics of Calystegia soldanella, grown in pots, was analysed to assess its plasticity in response to water-stressed conditions. As water was withheld leaf water potential between the two watering treatments was similar during the first 6 days, followed by a rapid decrease in water-stressed plants. The minimum leaf water potential was -1.50 MPa on day 15 and the maximum leaf water potential was about -0.5 MPa on day 0 in water-stressed plants. In well-watered plants leaf water potential was maintained almost consistently throughout the experiment. There was no significant difference in plant dry weight between the two watering treatments for 9 days after the start of experiment and that was remarkably increased thereafter, compared with that remained without any increase in water-stressed plants. In dry mass partitioning, however, the water-stressed plants showed a great plasticity, showing that there were 1.81, 1.35 and 0.81 times increase in root, stem and leaf, respectively. Dry mass partitioning in well-watered plants varied from 2% to 5%. The difference of dry mass partitioning between the two watering treatments was reflected in leaf mass per unit area (LMA) and root/shoot (R/S) ratio. LMA in water-stressed plants was lower than that in well-watered plants, while R/S ratio in water-stressed plants was higher in well-watered plants. This means that the water-stressed plants reduced its leaf area and increased dry mass partitioning into root and stem during the progress of soil drying. These results indicate that Calystegia soldanella inhabiting in sand dune cope with water stress with high plasticity which can adjust its dry mass partitioning according to soil water conditions.