Korean J Nutr.  2012 Apr;45(2):113-120. 10.4163/kjn.2012.45.2.113.

Dietary effect of silk protein on epidermal levels of free sphingoid bases and phosphate metabolites in NC/Nga mice

• Kim Y
• Song EH
• Shin K
• Lee Y
• Cho Y

• KMID: 2268660
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4163/kjn.2012.45.2.113

Abstract

In our previous studies, dietary supplements of silk protein, sericin, and fibroin, were beneficial for improving epidermal levels of ceramides, which are the major lipids for maintaining the epidermal barrier. In this study, we investigated the dietary effects of silk protein on epidermal levels of free sphingoid bases and their phosphates such as C18 sphingosine (So), C18 sphinganine (Sa), C18 sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), and C18 sphinganine-1-phosphate (Sa1P), which are either synthetic substrate or degradative metabolites of ceramides. Forty-five male NC/Nga mice, an animal model of atopic dermatitis (AD), were divided into three groups: group CA was an atopic control and fed a control diet, group S was fed a 1% sericin diet, and group F was fed a 1% fibroin diet. Fifteen male BALB/c mice served as group C (control group) and were fed the control diet. All mice were fed with diets and water ad libitum for 10 weeks. Sa in group CA was lower than that in group C, but So in group CA was similar to that in group C. So and Sa were higher in groups S and F than those in group CA; So level was even higher than that in group C, and Sa level was similar to that of group C. The So/Sa ratio in group CA, which is reported to increase in AD, was significantly higher than that of group C. The So/Sa ratio was lower in groups S and F than that in group CA, and decreased further in group F. However, S1P and Sa1P in groups S and F were similar to those in group CA. Taken together, we demonstrated that silk protein, sericin and fibroin dietary supplements, increased So and Sa levels, and decreased the So/Sa ratio.

Keyword

silk protein; sphingosine; sphinganine; NC/Nga mice; atopic dermatitis

MeSH Terms

Animals
Ceramides
Dermatitis, Atopic
Diet
Dietary Supplements
Fibroins
Humans
Lysophospholipids
Male
Mice
Models, Animal
Phosphates
Sericins
Silk
Sphingosine
Water
Ceramides
Fibroins
Lysophospholipids
Phosphates
Sericins
Silk
Sphingosine
Water

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Levels of C18 Sphingoid bases in the epidermis of mice. C: BALB/c mice were fed with a control diet, group CA, S and F: NC/Nga mice were fed with a control diet (group CA) or diets containing 1% sericin extract (group S) or 1% fibroin extract (group F) for 10 weeks. Sphingoid bases were extracted from epidermal homogenates of each groups and analyzed using HPLC. Values are presented as Means ± SEM (n = 10). Means with different alphabetical letters are significantly different according to duncan's multiple comparison at p < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 2 Ratio of C18So/Sa in the epidermis of mice. Group C: BALB/c mice were fed with a control diet, group CA, S and F: NC/Nga mice were fed with a control diet (group CA) or diets containing 1% sericin extract (group S) or 1% fibroin extract (group F) for 10 weeks. Values are presented as Means ± SEM (n = 10). Means with different alphabetical letters are significantly different according to duncan's multiple range test at p < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 3 Levels of C18 Sphingoidbase-1-phosphates in the epidermis of mice. Group C: BALB/c mice were fed with a control diet, group CA. S and F: NC/Nga mice were fed with a control diet (group CA) or diets containing 1% sericin extract (group S) or 1% fibroin extract (group F) for 10 weeks. Sphingoid base-1-phosphates of epidermal homogenates were first dephosphorylated by alkaline phosphatase at 37℃ then separated sphingoid bases were extracted and analyzed using HPLC. Values are presented as means ± SEM (n = 10). Means with different alphabetical letters are significantly different according to duncan's multiple range test at p < 0.05.

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