Charles Fox, Independent Consultant

Skin and Skin Care
Effects of alpha-ketoglutarate: Son et al. report on alpha-ketoglutarate as a key intermediate in the Krebs cycle and as a rate-limiting cofactor of prolyl-4-hydroxylase.

Alpha-ketoglutarate also has been shown to have a potent effect on increasing the proline pool during collagen production; however, the details underlying its boosting effect on collagen remain unreported.

To investigate the effects of alpha-ketoglutarate on procollagen production and wrinkle formation, Son et al. conducted experiments in cultured human dermal fibroblasts and UVB-irradiated hairless mice. Based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measurements, 10 mm of alpha-ketoglutarate stimulated procollagen production in fibroblasts by 25.6% ± 4.6%, compared to a control vehicle.

In addition, the researchers demonstrated that alpha-ketoglutarate increased activities of prolidase, which is known to play an important role in collagen metabolism. In fibroblasts and N-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-proline, a prolidase inhibitor, alpha-ketoglutarate inhibited procollagen synthesis by alpha-ketoglutarate in fibroblasts.

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