Protective effect of Disporum sessile D.Don extract against UVB-induced photoaging via suppressing MMP-1 expression and collagen degradation in human skin cells

•DDE inhibited UVB-induced MMP-1 expression in NHDF and HaCaT cells.•DDE reduced UVB-induced collagen degradation in NHDF.•DDE reduced UVB-induced phosphorylation of MAP kinases and IκBα.•DDE inhibited UVB-induced translocation and activation of NF-κB in HaCaT cell.•Our results suggest that DDE may be utilized for the skin protection against UV irradiation.

In the present study, we report that Disporum sessile D.Don herbal extract (DDE) possesses anti-skin photoaging effect through inhibition of MMP-1 mRNA and protein expression levels and increase collagen production in UVB-irradiated human dermal fibroblast cells (NHDF). To delineate the molecular mechanism by which DDE inhibited MMP-1 expression, immortal human keratinocytes cells (HaCaT) have been used. We have found that DDE inhibited UVB-induced MMP-1 mRNA and protein expression levels in HaCaT cells through inhibition of UVB-induced activation of NF-κB in HaCaT cells. Inhibitors of NF-κB (Bay11-7082), and mitogen-activated protein kinases such as extracellular regulated kinase (PD98059), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (SP600125), and p38 (SB203580) suppressed expression of MMP-1, and phosphorylation of these signaling molecules were attenuated by DDE. DDE also inhibited phosphorylation of IKKα and IκBα, and reduced nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Our results also demonstrated that DDE inhibited NF-κB driven expression of luciferase reporter gene and the DNA binding of NF-κB to its cognate binding site in UV-irradiated cells. Therefore, these results strongly suggest that DDE can be utilized as a potential agent for prevention and treatment of skin photoaging.