Influence of a slight acidic arabinoxylan and a xyloglucan on the gene expression of human skin keratinocytes and fibroblasts

A slight acidic arabinoxylan of Plantago ovata seed husk, Forssk, Plantaginaceae (P1), and a watersoluble xyloglucan of Tamarindus indica seed, L., Fabaceae (TSw), significantly increase the proliferation and migration of human skin keratinocytes (NHEK) and fibroblasts (NHDF). In order to get a better knowledge of the underlying mechanism the influence of P1 and TSw on gene expression of these skin cells was investigated by PIQOR^TM Skin Microarray and Real-Time PCR. Further the phosphorylation of different mitogen activated protein kinases was analyzed.

Within 6h of incubation P1 significantly increased the genes referring to calcium signaling, transcription and cytoskeleton and inhibited the expression of genes that concern to cell death, protein degradation and metabolism of NHEK. In case of NHDF the genes referring to cell cycle, cell adhesion, cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix (ECM) were up-regulated while the genes that belong to metabolism were down-regulated, whereas TSw up-regulated the genes in regard to ECM and down-regulated the genes referring to cell death and differentiation on NHEK. Further TSw up-regulated the genes concerning to cytoskeleton and response to toxins while the genes with respect to receptor signaling and metabolism were down-regulated in NHDF. Since both polysaccharides exerted similar effects on the human skin cell physiology the presented results show that the underlying mechanisms are different.