Effects of the chestnut inner shell extract on the expression of adhesion molecules, fibronectin and vitronectin, of skin fibroblasts in culture

• Published in: Archives of pharmacal research Vol. 25; no. 4; pp. 469 - 474
• Main Authors: Chi, Yeon Sook, Heo, Moon Young, Chung, Ji Hun, Jo, Byoung Kee, Kim, Hyun Pyo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) 01.08.2002
• Subjects: 3T3 Cells; Animals; Blotting, Western; Cell Adhesion Molecules - biosynthesis; Cell Division - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Coumarins - chemistry; Coumarins - isolation & purification; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Fibroblasts - drug effects; Fibronectins - biosynthesis; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Mice; Nuts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Skin - cytology; Skin - drug effects; Vitronectin - biosynthesis
• ISSN: 0253-6269; 1976-3786
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02976604

The inner shell of the chestnut (Castanea crenata S. et Z., Fagaceae) has been used as an anti-wrinkle/skin firming agent in East Asia, and preliminary experiments have found that a 70% ethanol extract from this plant material can prevent cell detachment of skin fibroblasts from culture plates. In order to examine the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, its effects on the expression of adhesion molecules, such as fibronectin and vitronectin, were investigated using the mouse skin fibroblast cell line, NIH/3T3. Using fixed-cell ELISA, Western blotting and immunofluorescence cell staining, it was clearly demonstrated that the chestnut inner shell extract enhanced the expression of the cell-associated fibronectin and vitronectin. Scoparone (6,7-dimethoxycoumarin), isolated from the extract, also possessed similar properties. These findings suggest that the enhanced expression of the adhesion molecules may be one of the molecular mechanisms for how the chestnut inner shell extract preventing cell detachment and may be also responsible for its anti-wrinkle/skin firming effect.