42 MARINE INGREDIENTS
day, with a steady-state level of approximately 50,000 lesions per cell.6,7 Our skin and its cellular complement,
especially on the face and hands, suffer high rates of DNA damage from frequent UV exposure. Damaged DNA must be addressed promptly because DNA serves as the blueprint for all proteins in the cell. This includes proteins essential for
preserving a youthful skin appearance, like collagen, elastin, and other extracellular matrix proteins, as well as proteins involved in fundamental cellular metabolic and cell cycle processes. Ideally, DNA damage is repaired by mechanisms within the cell, but these processes can be overrun or damaged into a state of dysfunction by UV exposure. While cells have several DNA repair mechanisms, nucleotide excision repair (NER) is the fundamental repair pathway in the skin for correcting DNA damage caused by the sun’s UV radiation.8
The DNA aberrations
arising from UV exposure are predominantly cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) and 6-4 photoproducts (6-4PP), which distort the DNA helix and disrupt transcription to trigger NER.8,9 Notably, the NER process is relatively slow, with CPDs having a half-life of 10-20 hours in mammalian cells.10
the vital NER process decreases with age.11
Phlorotannins for UV protection Sargassum is a brown alga that floats freely in the ocean’s open waters, supported by its distinctive air bladders (Figure 3). The intense sunlight at the water’s surface fuels photosynthesis in the growing algal masses, which proliferate through vegetative reproduction with small fragments generating new plants. Intense sun exposure at the water’s surface
makes Sargassum more vulnerable to the harmful effects of UV radiation, which can cause DNA damage and impact growth, overall health, and survivability. In response to the sun’s harmful UV
radiation, Sargassum produces phlorotannins (polymers of phloroglucinol; 1,3,5-trihydroxy- benzene),12,13
with a mixture of soluble and
insoluble versions found throughout the leafy appendages of most brown algal species. Research has demonstrated that these
Figure 2: Red, green, and brown macroalgae are distinct types of marine seaweed that exhibit unique colours, varied morphologies, and diverse chemical characteristics
phlorotannins are photoprotective and mitigate the DNA damage incurred by brown algae exposed to the incessant UV at the sea’s surface.14,15,16 In fact, algae increase their phlorotannin
production in response to UV exposure, facilitating reduced UV-induced DNA damage.14 The high phlorotannin content of Sargassum gives the potential for developing innovative Sargassum-based anti-ageing skincare products.
Additionally, the capacity for
The Great Atlantic Sargassum belt For centuries, intermittent patches of Sargassum have inhabited the Atlantic, but since 2011, the Sargassum mats have expanded, stretching over 5,000 miles from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. The mass of Sargassum, known as the Great
Atlantic Sargassum belt, has an estimated weight of 13 million tons and can be spotted from space (Figure 4). Sargassum continues to grow, with scientifically-backed predictions suggesting that the Sargassum belt is likely to persist as the new norm.17 In response to the persistent Sargassum
belt, ongoing efforts to harvest excess Sargassum to incorporate into functional products aim to alleviate potential negative consequences of algae accumulation. The valorization of Sargassum through
upcycling has regenerative impacts on coastal ecosystems and communities while generating sustainable, naturally derived products in the food, agriculture, medicinal, textile, and cosmetic industries. Sargassum-based items include papers, fabrics, building materials, biofuels, and livestock feed.
Upcycling Sargassum with biofermentation to address photodamaged skin DermalRx® FSE (hereafter, the Sargassum bioferment) is rich in bioavailable phlorotannins and other phytochemicals with multiple demonstrated benefits for sun-exposed skin. Produced from Sargassum vulgare brown seaweed, the Sargassum bioferment helps protect and repair DNA through the NER pathway while modulating downstream gene expression, beneficially affecting levels of both microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that support skin wellness at the molecular level. In addition, the Sargassum bioferment further
soothes photodamaged skin by delivering potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Bioferments, in general terms, are products
produced using biofermentation, bioconversion, or other bioprocessing techniques where specific biofunctional materials are derived from the metabolic activity of living microorganisms. Yeast (Saccharomyces) and bacteria (such as Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium) metabolize biomass and carbon sources under specified conditions to yield the desired active ingredients.18 Biofermentation of Sargassum by a
proprietary Saccharomyces strain is a clean, sustainable, and reproducible process that yields a novel functional product that is not otherwise possible using traditional extraction or chemical processes. Biofermentation enables the safe
manufacturing of nature-identical and novel compounds with optimal potency and bioavailability. Bioconversion of Sargassum liberates functional materials from cellular matter and improves absorption, compatibility, and activity compared to a non-fermented product. Specifically, biofermentation optimizes
the molecular weight, solubility, pH, polarity, lipophilicity, and potency of actives, elevating the bioavailability and biocompatibility of the Sargassum material.19,20
With biomass typically
containing large macromolecules that are complexed or polymeric and unable to traverse the skin barrier, bioprocessing provides a natural means by which these materials, such as peptides, enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins, and other valuable nutrients, are liberated and made available for uptake in the skin.
Figure 3: Sargassum floating at the water’s surface PERSONAL CARE September 2023
Reduced CPD demonstrates DNA protection Studies were performed in human skin explants to test the DNA protective effects
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