This study aimed to assess the skin-related anti-photoaging activities of the 2 epimeric forms of protopanaxadiol (PPD), 20(S)-PPD and 20(R)-PPD, in cultured human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). The anti-photoaging activity was evaluated by analyzing the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), as well as cell viability for HaCaT cells under UV-B irradiation. The activities for MMP-2 and -1 in conditioned medium were determined using gelatin zymography, and MMP-2 protein in the conditioned medium was detected using Western blot analysis. 20(S)-PPD, but not 20(R)-PPD, suppressed UV-B-induced ROS elevation. Neither of the epimers, at the concentrations used, exhibited cytotoxicity, irrespective of UV-B irradiation. 20(S)-PPD, but not 20(R)-PPD, exhibited an inhibitory effect on UV-B-induced MMP-2 activity and expression in HaCaT cells. In brief, only 20(S)-PPD, a major metabolic product of PPD-type ginsenosides, inhibits UV-B-induced ROS and MMP-2 elevation, implying its stereospecific anti-photoaging activity on the skin.
Keywords: HaCaT; aglycone; anti-photoaging; anti-photovieillissement; ginseng; saponin; saponine.