Protective effect of skin-derived precursors on photoaging in nude mice.

OBJECTIVES: Currently, innovative methods to prevent photoaging are needed. Skin-derived precursors (SKP) have been shown to play a crucial role in resisting UVB-induced apoptosis in vitro. The objective of this study was to explore the effect of SKP on preventing skin photoaging in vivo.

METHODS: Skin-derived precursors from neonatal BALB/c mice were isolated, identified and intradermally transplanted with a PKH26 label to track their survival. These were then injected at different concentrations into the buttock dermis of nude mice at 2-weekly intervals before UV irradiation. Photographs, assessment of live skin surface, histology with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the impact of SKP on wrinkles and other relevant indicators of skin photoaging.

RESULTS: SKP exhibited a sphere-like structure and could survive for at least 2 weeks after intradermal transplantation. A large dose of SKP transplantation (105 SKP +UV) at 2-weekly intervals were able to ameliorate coarse UV-induced wrinkles. Moreover, the skin smoothness value, dermal thickness and collagen percentage were significantly increased in mice that received a large dose of SKP (105 SKP +UV). UV radiation induced the mRNA expression of MMP-13 and decreased the mRNA and protein expression of TβRII, but these effects were diminished by SKP transplantation. The transplantation of SKP could increase the mRNA of TIMP-1.

CONCLUSIONS: We found that transplanted SKP exert a beneficial impact on preventing UV-induced wrinkles in vivo, suggesting that SKP transplantation is a promising candidate for preventing photoaging.