Anti-aging potential of fish collagen hydrolysates subjected to simulated gastrointestinal digestion and Caco-2 cell permeation

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the antiaging effects and investigate the effect of simulated gastrointestinal (GI) digestion on the anti-aging properties and intestinal permeation of the potential fish collagen hydrolysates (FCH). Therefore, procollagen synthesis, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) production, and Caco-2 cell permeability were analyzed before and after in vitro digestion for FCHs, low-molecular weight fractions (<1 kDa), and high molecular weight fractions (>1 kDa). After being subjected to GI digestion, the level of MMP-1 inhibition was maintained, although the procollagen production was significantly (>20%) lower with all samples. Also, the digested FCHs and their <1 kDa fraction yielded 9.1 and 13.8% increased peptide transport, respectively, compared to undigested samples. Based on the effective intestinal permeation and high digestive enzyme stability, the <1 kDa fraction of FCHs is a potential bioactive material suitable for anti-aging applications in the food and cosmetics industries.