2023-06-13 08:06:18
The study, published in the journal ‘Nature Aging’, relates this aging process, mediated by IL-17, with an inflammatory state.
A scientific team from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), in collaboration with the National Center for Genomic Analysis (CNAG), has discovered that the IL-17 protein plays a central role in the skin aging process.
Specifically, the study, published in the journal ‘Nature Aging’, relates this aging process, mediated by IL-17, with an inflammatory state.
Skin aging is characterized by a series of structural and functional changes that gradually contribute to the deterioration and fragility associated with age. Aged skin has a lower regenerative capacity, poor healing and a diminished barrier function.
The work describes the changes experienced by the different types of cells with aging and, specifically, identifies how some immune cells in the skin present high levels of IL-17.
“Our results show that IL-17 is involved in various functions related to aging. We have seen that blocking this protein slows down the appearance of various deficiencies associated with aging skin. This discovery opens new possibilities to treat some of the symptoms or facilitate the recovery of the skin after surgery, for example.“, explains Dr. Aznar Benitah, ICREA researcher and head of the Stem Cells and Cancer laboratory at IRB Barcelona.
“Single cell sequencing has allowed us to delve into the complexity of the cell types and states that make up the skin and how these change throughout life. We found not only differences in the composition of aging skin, but also changes in the activity states of cells. In particular, the immune cells displayed specific age-related profiles, which we were able to identify by analyzing thousands of individual cells at a time.says Dr. Holger Heynhead 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 is also home to cells of the immune system, which play a crucial role in preventing infection and protecting against further insults.
The work describes how, during aging, some of these immune cells, specifically gamma delta T cells, innate lymphoid cells and CD4+ T cells, significantly increase their presence in the skin. These same cells also show very high levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17.
“Aging is associated with a situation of mild but persistent inflammation, and in the skin this is characterized by a significant increase in IL-17, which causes skin deterioration.“, explains doctor Paloma Soláfirst author of the study, together with Dr. Elisabetta Mereu, now a researcher at the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute.
Reverse the symptoms of aging
Previous studies had already described that IL-17 is related to some autoimmune skin diseases, such as psoriasis, and there are treatments that precisely block this protein.
The scientific team studied the response to IL-17 activity blocking treatment in different aspects, including: hair follicle growth, transepidermal water loss, wound healing, and genetic markers of aging. These four parameters showed an improvement after treatment, as the acquisition of these aging traits was delayed.
The IL-17 protein is essential for vital functions in the body, such as defense against microbes or wound healing, so permanently blocking it would not be an option.. “What we have observed is that its temporary inhibition offers benefits that may be interesting at the therapeutic level.“concludes Dr. Guiomar Solanas, associate researcher at IRB Barcelona.
Future laboratory work will focus on clarifying which aging processes are related to inflammatory states in the skin and how these are linked to IL-17. The team will also investigate whether IL-17 plays a role in the aging and deterioration of other tissues and organs. J.S.T./L.D.B. (SyM)
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