Skin Antiageing and Systemic Redox Effects of Supplementation with Marine Collagen Peptides and Plant-Derived Antioxidants: A Single-Blind Case-Control Clinical Study

Recently, development and research of nutraceuticals based on marine collagen peptides (MCPs) have been growing due to their high homology with human collagens, safety, bioavailability through gut, and numerous bioactivities. The major concern regarding safety of MCPs intake relates to increased risk of oxidative stress connected with collagen synthesis (likewise in fibrosis) and to ROS production by MCPs-stimulated phagocytes. In this clinical-laboratory study, fish skin MCPs combined with plant-derived skin-targeting antioxidants (AO) (coenzyme Q10 + grape-skin extract + luteolin + selenium) were administered to volunteers (n=41). Skin properties (moisture, elasticity, sebum production, and biological age) and ultrasonic markers (epidermal/dermal thickness and acoustic density) were measured thrice (2 months before treatment and before and after cessation of 2-month oral intake). The supplementation remarkably improved skin elasticity, sebum production, and dermal ultrasonic markers. Metabolic data showed significant increase of plasma hydroxyproline and ATP storage in erythrocytes. Redox parameters, GSH/coenzyme Q10 content, and GPx/GST activities were unchanged, while NO and MDA were moderately increased within, however, normal range of values. Conclusions. A combination of MCPs with skin-targeting AOs could be effective and safe supplement to improve skin properties without risk of oxidative damage

The burn wound exudate—An under-utilized resource

INTRODUCTION: The burn wound exudate represents the burn tissue microenvironment. Extracting information from the exudate relating to cellular components, signaling mediators and protein content can provide much needed data relating to the local tissue damage, depth of the wound and probable systemic complications. This review examines the scientific data extracted from burn wound exudates over the years and proposes new investigations that will provide useful information from this underutilized resource. METHOD: A literature review was conducted using the electronic database PubMed to search for literature pertaining to burn wound or blister fluid analysis. Key words included burn exudate, blister fluid, wound exudate, cytokine burn fluid, subeschar fluid, cytokine burns, serum cytokines. 32 relevant article were examined and 29 selected as relevant to the review. 3 papers were discarded due to questionable methodology or conclusions. The reports were assessed for their affect on management decisions and diagnostics. Furthermore, traditional blood level analysis of these mediators was made to compare the accuracy of blood versus exudate in burn wound management. Extrapolations are made for new possibilities of burn wound exudate analysis. RESULTS: Studies pertaining to burn wound exudate, subeschar fluid and blister fluid analyses may have contributed to burn wound management decisions particularly related to escharectomies and early burn wound excision. In addition, information from these studies have the potential to impact on areas such as healing, scarring, burn wound conversion and burn wound depth analysis. CONCLUSION: Burn wound exudate analysis has proven useful in burn wound management decisions. It appears to offer a far more accurate reflection of the burn wound pathophysiology than the traditional blood/serum investigations undertaken in the past. New approaches to diagnostics and treatment efficacy assessment are possible utilizing data from this fluid. Burn wound exudate is a useful, currently under-utilized resource that is likely to take a more prominent role in burn wound management

β-Blockade Protection of Bone Marrow Following Trauma: The Role of G-CSF

BACKGROUND: Following severe trauma there is a profound elevation of catecholamines that is associated with a persistent anemic state. We have previously shown that beta blockade (BB) prevents erythroid growth suppression and decreases hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) mobilization following injury. Under normal conditions, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) triggers the activation of matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9), leading to the egress of progenitor cells from the bone marrow (BM). When sustained, this depletion of BM cellularity may contribute to BM failure. This study seeks to determine if G-CSF plays a role in the BB protection of BM following trauma. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to either unilateral lung contusion (LC)±BB, hemorrhagic shock (HS)±BB, or both LC/HS±BB. Propranolol (BB) was given immediately following resuscitation. Animals were sacrificed at 3 and 24 hours and HPC mobilization was assessed by evaluating BM cellularity and flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood for HPCs. The concentration of G-CSF and MMP-9 was measured in plasma by ELISA. RESULTS: BM cellularity is decreased at 3hrs following LC, HS and LC/HS. HS and LC/HS resulted in significant HPC mobilization in the peripheral blood. The addition of BB restored BM cellularity and reduced HPC mobilization. Three hours following HS and LC/HS, plasma G-CSF levels more than double, however LC alone showed no change in G-CSF. BB significantly decreased G-CSF in both HS and LC/HS. Similarly, MMP-9 is elevated following LC/HS and BB prevents this elevation (390±100pg/ml vs. 275±80pg/ml**). CONCLUSION: BB protection of the BM following shock and injury may be due to reduced HPC mobilization and maintenance of BM cellularity. Following shock, there is an increase in plasma G-CSF and MMP-9 which is abrogated by BB and suggests a possible mechanism how BB decreases HPC mobilization thus preserving BM cellularity. In contrast, BB protection of BM following LC is not mediated by G-CSF. Therefore, the mechanism of progenitor cell mobilization from the BM is dependent on the type of injury