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Collagen is widely celebrated in the skincare industry for its anti-ageing and rejuvenating benefits. Recent research reveals that marine collagen peptides, used both orally and topically, support wound healing and may enhance skin health by modulating the skin microbiome.
What we know:
Collagen, the most abundant protein in the human body, comprises 30% of total protein content. Oral hydrolysed collagen boosts collagen peptides in the bloodstream, improving skin elasticity, hydration, and reducing water loss. Topically, it moisturizes the stratum corneum, reduces dryness and wrinkles, and enhances skin elasticity (Gabriel Aguirre Alvarez et al., 2020).
Skin wounds pose a major socio-economic challenge in healthcare. Treatments include collagen alginate dressings, silver sulfadiazine cream, autografts, allografts, and xenografts. Acellular fish skin (AFS) grafts have recently gained attention as a cost-effective option, acting as a 'skin substitute' that reduces inflammation and promotes pro-healing cytokines to improve wound recovery (Hanna Luze et al., 2022).
The expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing 2 (NOD2) and β-defensin (BD14) at the wound site directly affect the types of microorganisms that colonise wound (Mei et al., 2020).
Industry impact and potential:
A new xenograft technique utilising AFS grafts from Atlantic cod or Nile tilapia fish has shown promising results in wound healing. These grafts have demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which enhance the healing process for various types of wounds, including burns and DFUs. Current research is focused on comparing the effectiveness of fish skin grafts with other wound healing methods (Ibrahim et al., 2023).
Research shows that oral collagen peptides from Atlantic salmon and Nile tilapia skin accelerate wound healing by upregulating NOD2 and BD14, key to immune response and skin repair. These peptides enhance collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and promote beneficial microbes like Leuconostoc and Enterococcus while suppressing harmful ones like Stenotrophomonas and Sphingomonas, improving overall wound healing outcomes (Mei et al., 2020).
Products such as ELEMIS ‘Pro-Collagen Marine Cream’ and Naturallythinking ‘Marine Collagen Facial Cream’ are examples of topical approaches to utilising these beneficial collagen peptides.
Further research into the benefits of topical and oral marine collagen for skin health, beyond wound healing, presents an exciting opportunity—especially in exploring its impact on the skin microbiome.
Our solution:
Sequential provides a unique end-to-end microbiome product testing solution, complemented by specialised product development and formulation services. Leveraging our expertise, we assist businesses in creating innovative skin products, such as collagen-containing wound healing solutions, that preserve microbiome integrity and promote overall skin health.
References:
Aguirre-Cruz, G., León-López, A., Cruz-Gómez, V., Jiménez-Alvarado, R. & Aguirre-Álvarez, G. (2020) Collagen Hydrolysates for Skin Protection: Oral Administration and Topical Formulation. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland). 9 (2), 181. doi:10.3390/antiox9020181.
Ibrahim, M., Ayyoubi, H.S., Alkhairi, L.A., Tabbaa, H., Elkins, I. & Narvel, R. (2023) Fish Skin Grafts Versus Alternative Wound Dressings in Wound Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Cureus. 15 (3), e36348. doi:10.7759/cureus.36348.
Luze, H., Nischwitz, S.P., Smolle, C., Zrim, R. & Kamolz, L.-P. (2022) The Use of Acellular Fish Skin Grafts in Burn Wound Management-A Systematic Review. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania). 58 (7), 912. doi:10.3390/medicina58070912.
Mei, F., Liu, J., Wu, J., Duan, Z., Chen, M., Meng, K., Chen, S., Shen, X., Xia, G. & Zhao, M. (2020) Collagen Peptides Isolated from Salmo salar and Tilapia nilotica Skin Accelerate Wound Healing by Altering Cutaneous Microbiome Colonization via Upregulated NOD2 and BD14. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 68 (6), 1621–1633. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.9b08002.
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