Research Article Chlorella growth factor extraction and its effect on gene expression of types I and III collagen in skin fibroblast cells

Skin protects the body from outer factors as a barrier, and contains an important cosmetic role. Skin aging is related to collagen degradation and increasing multiple enzymes, including matrix metalloproteinase (MMPS), which degrade collagen. Chlorella vulgaris is a marine alga that exhibits anti-aging activity. The beneficial effects of Chlorella on skin make it a proper ingredient to be used in anti-aging products. In this study, the effect of Chlorella growth factor (CGF) on types I and III collagen in human fibroblast cell line Hu02 was investigated. To find an effective extraction method in the present study, CGF was extracted using hot water extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, and ultrasonication plus enzymatic hydrolysis, and the yields were compared. The yield of ultrasonication plus enzymatic hydrolysis method (CGF3) had the strongest absorbance at 260 nm and highest solid recovery, compared to the other two methods. Using quantitative PCR, it was confirmed that CGF increased collagens I and III expression in skin fibroblast cells. This finding indicated that CGF induced collagen synthesis in Hu02 cells. Gene expression of types I and III collagen were elevated to 3.144-fold and 1.14-fold in the CGF-3 group, respectively, comparing to the control group.