SILKPROTEIN

Benifits for Skin

The silkworm Bombyx mori secretes two silk proteins: silk fibroin and silk sericin. These are secreted in a non-sericin substance. Silk fibrin is known for its immune tolerance, and is notable for its historic use in suturing. At first, silk sericin was considered an impurity that elicited harmful pro-inflammatory cytokine production. However, it was recently discovered that silk sericin has numerous beneficial biological activities as an antioxidant and a tyrosinase inhibitor. Tyrosinases catalyze the hydroxylation of monophenol molecules in cells, turning them into ortho-quinones. Silk sericin chelates with copper and prevents lipid peroxidation due to tyrosinase activity, which prevents keratinocyte apoptosis. Antioxidant effects and inhibitory effects on tyrosinase were also recently discovered to be found in the non-protein layer of silkworms, which consists of carbohydrates, salt, wax, and flavonoid derivatives.
Recently, fibrin and sericin from silkworm was also shown to stimulate cell migration in mink lung epithelial cells.The silk protein of a tropical tasar silkworm was found to inhibit UVB-induced apoptosis in human keratinocytes by preventing the activation of caspase-3.
Anti-aging effects of silk sericin have been demonstrated in a within-patient untreated-controlled study. A hydroxyproline assay showed no significant differences in hydroxyproline content, skin impedance, and transepidermal water loss between sericin treated skin and control. Another study showed a significant drop in impedance when silk fibrin and sericin was used at 5% concentrations. Silk sericin is also being explored in wound healing applications. A silk sericin-releasing bioactive wound dressing was developed and found on average to heal faster, in 12 days, compared to Bactigras dressing, which healed in 14 days with significantly reduced pain.