Inhibition of hydrogen peroxide induced injuring on human skin fibroblast by Ulva prolifera polysaccharide

• Ulva prolifera polysaccharide was proved to protect human skin fibroblast cells in vitro from being injured by hydrogen peroxide.
• The cell proliferation of crude polysaccharide and fraction were 154.4% and 174.6% of those in negative control group respectively.
• The polysaccharide fraction with maximum cell proliferation has average Mw at 137 kD and 18.0% of sulfate content.

Ulva prolifera can protect human skin fibroblast from being injured by hydrogen peroxide. This work studied the composition of Ulva prolifera polysaccharide and identified its physicochemical properties. The results showed that the cell proliferation of 0.5 mg/mL crude polysaccharide was 154.4% of that in negative control group. Moreover, ROS detection indices, including DCFH-DA, GSH-PX, MDA and CAT, indicated that crude polysaccharide could improve cellular ability to scavenge free radical and decrease the injury on human skin fibroblast by hydrogen peroxide. In purified polysaccharide, the activity of fraction P1-1 was the highest, with 174.6% of that in negative control group. The average molecular weight of P1-1 was 137 kD with 18.0% of sulfate content. This work showed the inhibition of hydrogen peroxide induced injuries on human skin fibroblast by Ulva prolifera polysaccharide, which may further evaluate the application of U. prolifera on cosmetics.