Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids from Marine Resource

Abstract

In the last 10 years, a great number of publications (both regular papers and reviews) have been published on the interesting molecules—mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). Despite significant advances in the research of MAAs, current overviews in the recent publications involving MAA research still need reporting. The aim of this Special Issue is to join, as an interdisciplinary approach, the photochemical and photobiological aspects, with emphasis on new natural resources to obtain both algae and zooplankton MAAs, advances in methodology of extraction and chemical identification of new MAAs. Finally, this Special Issue reviews the bioactivities of MAAs including UVR screen, antioxidant, immunostimulant, growth factor, DNA protection, inhibition of collagenase, elastase and hyaluronidase, and anti-photoaging, among others, and their potential use as nutracosmeceutic molecules (i.e., oral and topic photoprotector).

Fast and Efficient Separation of Eleven Mycosporine-like Amino Acids by UHPLC-DAD and Their Quantification in Diverse Red Algae

“…However, some terrestrial green algae exhibited MAA concentrations very comparable to those of marine red algae [8]; and they have also been confirmed in cyanobacteria [1,5,6]. Their extremely high molar extinction coefficients between 310 to 360 nm [9], together with pronounced antioxidant capacity [10,11], render them ideal for the treatment of diseases induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) [5,12] and UV radiation [6,13]. Accordingly, they are suitable for sunscreens [14], as indicated by commercial products such as Helioguard ® 365, a formulation composed of enriched algal extracts with porphyra-334 and shinorine.…”

“…Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are small secondary metabolites (usually below 400 Da) of striking importance in this context. They are nitrogen-rich, water-soluble compounds with cyclohexenone or cyclohexenimine scaffolds [1,[4][5][6]. In marine macroalgae, shinorine, porphyra-334 and palythine are the most abundant representatives [1,4], yet over 30 MAAs have been identified to date [7].…”

“…The highest concentrations and variability have been observed in Rhodophyta; in brown algae, they are missing, and they are only found in low amounts in marine green algae [1]. However, some terrestrial green algae exhibited MAA concentrations very comparable to those of marine red algae [8]; and they have also been confirmed in cyanobacteria [1,5,6]. Their extremely high molar extinction coefficients between 310 to 360 nm [9], together with pronounced antioxidant capacity [10,11], render them ideal for the treatment of diseases induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) [5,12] and UV radiation [6,13].…”

“…For such products, the term cosmeceutical is sometimes used, as they resemble a cosmetic enriched with bioactive components [15,16]. The latter are MAAs, which indicated promising effects on immunostimulation [17], inhibition of collagenase [18] and skin aging [16,19], reduction of UV-induced DNA impairment [6], as well as anti-inflammatory effects [20,21].…”

Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids from Red Macroalgae: UV-Photoprotectors with Potential Cosmeceutical Applications

“…MAAs also present other interesting bioactivities for the skin, such as antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties, protection of collagen and elastin by the inhibition of collagenase and elastase, and DNA protection by reducing dimer production. The significant diversity of cosmeceutical properties of MAAs has attracted the attention of the scientific community and companies, as observed in the large number of reviews and book chapters published in recent years [1,23,33,41,69,140,156,157].…”