Abstract
Collagen peptides derived from fish scales and pig skin have a molecular weight of about 1,000, which is a low molecular collagen peptide (CP). We have conducted two RCTs and reported that CP has anti-atherosclerotic effects and improves glucose tolerance. However, the recent finding that CP activates fibroblasts has opened the door to discussing the mechanism of action of CP from a new perspective. This paper introduces the involvement of glycative stress in the mechanism of action of CP. In the first RCT, pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was shown to improve. The results of multivariate analysis of factors involved in the improvement of baPWV indicated that the involvement of improvement in arterial patency, independent of the effect on blood pressure improvement, was important. The 2nd RCT showed that CP intake improved insulin resistance and reduced cutaneous autofluorescence (SAF), a measure of terminal glycation products (AGEs) accumulation in the skin including toxic AGEs (TAGEs), which are highly toxic. One possible mechanism of action is the fibroblast activating and proliferative effects of the CP-derived dipeptides Pro-Hyp (PO) and Hyp-Gly (OG). The production of matrix proteins by fibroblasts is important for maintaining vascular wall homeostasis. In particular, elastic fibers (elastin) are strongly involved in the elasticity of arteries. The second mechanism is aldehyde trapping by CP-derived dipeptides and amino acids. Among the many short-chain aldehydes induced by postprandial hyperglycemia (blood glucose spikes), glyceraldehyde is the most dangerous, generating TAGE. Aldehydes also adversely affect insulin biosynthesis in pancreatic beta cells because they readily cross cell membranes. From the above, it can be inferred that aldehyde trapping is of great significance. In conclusion, since CP has anti-atherosclerotic and anti-glycation effects, it is expected to contribute to the extension of healthy life span through the prevention of cerebro-cardiovascular diseases.
