Arctiin regulates collagen type 1α chain 1 mRNA expression in human dermal fibroblasts via the miR-378b-SIRT6 axis

Abstract

Arctiin, a lignin isolated from Arctium lappa, exhibits a variety of biological effects, including anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative actions, in mammalian cells. In a previous study, arctiin was demonstrated to induce procollagen type I synthesis and exhibited protective effects against ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation in normal human dermal fibroblasts (nHDFs). However, the underlying molecular mechanism of arctiin-mediated collagen synthesis remains unknown. In the present study, the mechanism for increased expression of collagen type 1α 1 chain (COL1A1) mRNA in arctiin-induced nHDFs was identified. The expression of microRNA-378b (miR-378b), downregulated by arctiin, was correlated with the expression of sirtuin-6 (SIRT6) mRNA, a regulator of COL1A1 mRNA. Furthermore, it was revealed that arctiin protected the UVB radiation-mediated decrease in COL1A1 mRNA expression, through the miR-378b/SIRT6 signaling pathway. In conclusion, these results suggest that arctiin regulates COL1A1 through the miR-378b-SIRT6 axis.