Preventive effects of dietary fucoxanthin on ultraviolet A induced photoaging in hairless mice

Abstract BACKGROUND Repeated exposure to ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation, which can penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis, is one of the major causes of skin photoaging. Photoaged skin is characterized clinically by generalized wrinkling, a dry and loose appearance, and seborrheic keratoses, along with skin barrier dysfunction. Fucoxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid with a specific allenic bond and 5,6‐monoepoxide in its structure, has been found to serve various functions as a food supplement. In the present study, the protective effects of orally administered fucoxanthin at relatively low concentrations (0.001% and 0.01%) against UVA induced photoaging were evaluated in vivo using hairless mice. RESULTS Oral supplementation of 0.001% fucoxanthin was sufficient for its metabolites to accumulate in the skin, thereby inhibiting pathological changes induced by UVA irradiation, including impaired skin barrier function and accelerated wrinkle formation. Analysis of gene expression revealed that dietary fucoxanthin exerted antiphotoaging effects, possibly by modulating natural moisturizing factor (NMF) synthesis, desquamation, and ceramide composition in the epidermis, and by inhibiting the UVA induced degradation of collagen fibers and inflammation in the dermis. CONCLUSION Taken together, our data indicate the potential application of dietary fucoxanthin as a novel ingredient in nutricosmetics for skin care against photoaging. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.