Decreased Collagen Production in Chronologically Aged Skin
Open accessAbstract
Reduced synthesis of collagen types I and III is characteristic of chronologically aged skin. The present report provides evidence that both cellular fibroblast aging and defective mechanical stimulation in the aged tissue contribute to reduced collagen synthesis. The reduction in collagen synthesis due to fibroblast aging was demonstrated by a lower in vitro production of type I procollagen by dermal fibroblasts isolated from skin of young (18 to 29 years) versus old (80+ years) individuals (82 +/- 16 versus 56 +/- 8 ng/ml; P < 0.05). A reduction in mechanical stimulation in chronologically aged skin was inferred from morphological, ultrastructural, and fluorescence microscopic studies. These studies, comparing dermal sections from young and old individuals, demonstrated a greater percentage of the cell surface attached to collagen fibers (78 +/- 6 versus 58 +/- 8%; P < 0.01) and more extensive cell spreading (1.0 +/- 0.3 vs. 0.5 +/- 0.3; P < 0.05) in young skin compared with old skin. These features are consistent with a lower level of mechanical stimulation on the cells in old versus young skin. Based on the findings presented here, we conclude that reduced collagen synthesis in chronologically aged skin reflects at least two different underlying mechanisms: cellular fibroblast aging and a lower level of mechanical stimulation.
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High level of reactive oxygen species induces skin fibroblasts to secrete high levels of matrix metalloproteinases, which cause extensive extracellular matrix remodeling in dermal layers.
“High level of ROS was also reported to induce skin fibroblasts to secrete high levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which caused extensive ECM remodeling in dermal layers [124–126].”
From Ultraviolet Radiation‐Induced Skin Aging: The Role of DNA Damage and Oxidative Stress in Epidermal Stem Cell Damage Mediated Skin Aging (2016) · cites this paper as [125]
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- Authors
- Varani, J., Dame, M. K., Rittie, L., Fligiel, S. E. G., Kang, S., Fisher, G. J., & Voorhees, J. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Michigan (US)
- Corresponding author
- Varani, James
- Venue
- The American Journal of Pathology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-06
- Volume
- 168
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1861-1868
- ISSN
- 0002-9440 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC1606623
- OpenAlex
- W1631191622
- Cited by
- 910
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 74 · 2025: 96 · 2024: 86 · 2023: 80 · 2022: 64 · 2021: 65 · 2020: 54 · 2019: 50 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 44 · 2015: 47 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 30
- FWCI
- 17.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- American Journal Of Pathology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Public Health Service (DK59169, AG013964)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Skin Protection and Aging
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Wound Healing and Treatments
- Keywords
- skin aging, collagen synthesis, type I procollagen, dermal fibroblasts, mechanical stimulation, cell spreading, type III collagen, extracellular matrix
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Biopsy, Collagen, Fibroblasts, Humans, Skin, Stress, Mechanical, Skin Aging
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