A scientific team from the Institute for Biomedical Research (IRB Barcelona), in collaboration with the National Center for Genomic Analysis (CNAG), found that The IL-17 protein plays a central role in the skin aging process..
Led research Giomar Solanas, Salvador Aznar Benita of IRB Barcelona, and Holger Hein of CNAG have linked this IL-17-mediated aging process to an inflammatory state.
Skin aging is characterized by a series of structural and functional changes that gradually contribute to deterioration and decrepitude associated with age. Older skin has a lower ability to regenerate, poor healing and reduced barrier function.
This work has been published in the journal Nature Aging describes the changes experienced by different types of cells during aging and, in particular, determines how certain immune cells the skin has elevated levels of IL-17.
“Our results show that IL-17 is involved in various functions associated with aging. We have seen that blocking this protein slows down the appearance of various deficiencies associated with skin aging. This discovery opens up new possibilities for treating some symptoms or alleviating, for example, skin repair after surgery,” he explains. Aznar BenitaICREA researcher and head of the stem cell and cancer laboratory at the IRB in Barcelona.
“Single cell sequencing has allowed us to understand the complexity of the types and conditions of the cells that make up the skin and how they change throughout life. We found not only differences in the composition of aging skin, but also changes in the state of cell activity. In particular, the immune cells showed specific age-related profiles, which we were able to determine by analyzing thousands of individual cells at the same time,” he says. Holger HeinHead of the CNAG Single Cell Genomic Laboratory.
Immune cells, inflammation and aging
In addition to a wide variety of epithelial cells, hair follicle cells and other components, the skin also contains immune system cellswhich play a critical role in preventing infection and protecting against further damage.
The paper describes how, during aging, some of these immune cells, especially gamma delta T cells, innate lymphoid cells and CD4+ T cells, significantly increase its presence on the skin. These same cells also show very high levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17.
“Aging is associated with a state of mild but persistent inflammation, and in the skin this is characterized by a significant increase in IL-17, which causes skin deterioration,” he explains. pigeon onefirst author of the article, together with Elisabetta Mereuresearcher at the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute.
How to stop aging
Previous studies have already described that IL-17 is associated with some autoimmune skin diseases such as psoriasis, and there are treatments that precisely block this protein. The research team studied the response to treatments that block IL-17 activity in a variety of ways, including: hair follicle growth, transepidermal water loss, wound healing, and genetic markers of aging. These four parameters showed improvement after treatment, as the acquisition of these signs of aging was delayed.
“The IL-17 protein is essential for vital bodily functions such as protecting against microbes or healing wounds, so it cannot be permanently blocked. We have noticed that its temporary inhibition provides benefits that may be of interest at a therapeutic level,” he concludes. Giomar Solanasfrom IRB Barcelona.
Future laboratory work will focus on elucidating which aging processes are associated with inflammatory skin conditions and how they are related to IL-17. The team is also investigating whether IL-17 plays a role in aging and the deterioration of other tissues and organs.
Source: Hiper Textual
