Study discovers collagen organization breaks before fibers, opening new lane for longevity innovation

Researchers at Hiroshima University, Japan, have discovered that aging-related changes in skin collagen begin earlier than previously thought. Their study has found that the loss of molecular organization in collagen happens first, and fiber damage happens after. 

Collagen is the main structural protein in skin, giving it its strength, firmness, and elasticity. Collagen fibers are arranged in a highly organized way, with a distinct molecular twist.

The Hiroshima study has uncovered that the molecular twist starts to break down before any visible damage occurs to the collagen structure and the skin.

Collagen fibers may still look normal under a microscope, and the total amount of collagen may still be the same, but the internal order begins to fall apart long before the fibers thin out, break, and lose their organizational structure.

“One way to think about our findings is that conventional imaging methods can show the ‘bricks’ of a collagen structure, but they may miss subtle changes in how those bricks are arranged,” says Ali Haider, first author of the study and researcher at Hiroshima University’s International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter.

“It’s similar to detecting changes in the arrangement of words and sentences in a book before any pages appear damaged or missing.”

Molecular order shuffles

The researchers examined skin samples from three different donors, each showing a different state of tissue condition. Using advanced imaging methods, the researchers compared the molecular structure, chemical properties, and fiber appearances of the skins’ collagen.

The first method used synchrotron light to examine the molecular twist of collagen. The second method used infrared lasers to measure the chemical integrity of the collagen structure.

Meanwhile, the third method used microscopy to visualize the fiber network, including its density, alignment, and connectivity.

The study suggests that the earliest signs of collagen aging occur at a molecular level, before fibers visibly thin or break down.By combining these techniques, the researchers found that some areas of the skin had plenty of collagen, but these had already lost their molecular structure. Meanwhile, in other regions of the skin, the collagen molecule order was still intact. 

“Collagen should not be viewed only as a visible fiber network but as a hierarchical material whose function depends on organization across multiple length scales,” says Katsuya Inoue, one of the study’s corresponding authors.

“Our study shows that advanced correlative methods can reveal changes in this hidden organization that are not apparent from morphology alone.”

Future applications

The study’s findings have practical implications for personal care formulations. The researchers outline that many anti-aging skin care products focus on addressing the visible signs of aging, such as wrinkles, skin thinning, and the formation of fine lines.

The study suggests that skin aging starts at a molecular level, meaning that products with collagen support claims may need to demonstrate how they protect molecular organization, rather than just boost collagen production.

The researchers note that companies could develop new testing methods to measure chirality or molecular coherence in skin. Chirality refers to the molecular twist that collagen has. Honing in on these areas could allow companies to evaluate cosmetic ingredients more effectively. 

Moreover, ingredients that stabilize the collagen twist or protect against molecular disorganization may be more valuable than previously recognized.