IL-17 Protein Identified as Key Factor in Skin Aging
A team of scientists from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) in partnership with the National Center for Genomic Analysis (CNAG) has discovered that the IL-17 protein plays a pivotal role in skin aging.
The researchers have found that an IL-17-mediated aging process leads to an inflammatory state, resulting in skin deterioration. Aging skin has a reduced ability to regenerate, poor healing ability, and diminished barrier function.
The team used single cell sequencing to gain insight into the complexity of the cell types and states that make up the skin and how these change throughout life. Gamma delta T cells, innate lymphoid cells, and CD4+ T cells were found to be substantially increased in the skin in aging, with these cells expressing high levels of IL-17.
Previous studies had noted that IL-17 is related to some autoimmune skin diseases, such as psoriasis, and that treatments that block this protein exist. The researchers investigated the response of several aspects to blocking IL-17 activity, including hair follicle growth, wound healing, transepidermal water loss, and genetic markers of aging. The temporary inhibition of IL-17 was shown to offer benefits that could be of therapeutic interest.
The researchers’ future work will focus on clarifying the aging processes related to inflammatory skin states and how these relate to IL-17. The team will also investigate whether IL-17 is involved in the aging and deterioration of other tissues and organs.
Skin Aging and its Relation to Immune Cells
In addition to various epithelial cells, hair follicle cells, and other components, the skin is home to immune cells, which play a crucial role in preventing infection and protecting against various types of damage.
The study describes how, during aging, the presence of some of these immune cells is significantly increased in the skin. These same cells also begin to express high levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-17.
Age-related mild but persistent inflammation is characterized by a significant increase in IL-17, which causes skin deterioration. The involvement of immune cells, inflammation, and aging highlights the need for further exploration in this field to develop preventative measures or treatments for the said conditions.
Possible Treatment Options to Reverse Skin Aging
The researchers found that blocking the function of IL-17 slows down the appearance of various deficiencies associated with aging skin. This discovery opens up new possibilities for treating some of the symptoms or facilitating the recovery of the skin after surgery and other skin-related procedures.
It is worth noting that the IL-17 protein is essential for vital functions in the body, such as defense against microbes and wound healing. Permanently blocking it is not an option as it could have unwanted adverse effects.
Research Funding
The research has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC), the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, the Lilliane Bettencourt Foundation, the State Research Agency (AEI), and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).
Additional Piece:
As what is often said, “The skin is a reflection of one’s health.” Aging skin is a natural manifestation of our bodies’ aging process. It is no surprise that we often hear about women trying to find their go-to anti-aging products to take care of their skin. Anti-aging skincare has been a popular topic in the beauty industry for years, and it’s understandable why. With this latest discovery of the IL-17 protein’s involvement in skin aging, it sparks curiosity in how products could incorporate this knowledge to provide further benefits or even improve our skin’s health with age.
Moreover, this study shows us that an individual’s lifestyle choices can contribute to the aging of their skin. A diet that lacks nutrients or is high in inflammatory foods can result in skin problems, including prematurely aging skin. A lack of sleep, stress, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption are other factors that can accelerate the skin’s aging process.
It is also essential to take care of our skin with the right products to delay the effects of aging and maintain healthy skin. Adding vitamins C and E, retinol, and hyaluronic acid to a daily skincare routine can improve skin health. Adequate protection from harsh sun rays can delay aging while providing the necessary relief from sunburn.
Conclusion:
The recent scientific discovery surrounding the IL-17 protein’s involvement in skin aging provides a new landscape for anti-aging studies. Exploring the possibility of incorporating the knowledge of the specific protein’s involvement could lead to innovative products that may provide further beneficial effects to skin health. Additionally, promoting a healthy lifestyle, with proper hydration, a nutritious diet, and right skincare routine, could benefit an individual’s skin’s overall health throughout the aging process.
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A team of scientists 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 skin aging. The study, led by Dr. Guiomar Solanas, Dr. Salvador Aznar Benitah, both from IRB Barcelona, and Dr. Holger Heyn, from CNAG, highlights an IL-17-mediated aging process leading to an inflammatory state.
Skin aging is characterized by a series of structural and functional changes that progressively contribute to the deterioration and fragility associated with age. Aging skin has a reduced ability to regenerate, poor healing ability, and diminished barrier function.
published in magazine Nature Agingthis work describes the changes that different cell types undergo with aging and identifies how some skin immune cells express high levels of IL-17.
“Our results show that IL-17 is involved in various functions related to aging. We have observed that blocking the function of this protein slows down the appearance of various deficiencies associated with skin ageing. This discovery opens up new possibilities for treating some of the symptoms or facilitating 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 states of activity of the cells. In particular the immune cells showed specific age-related profiles, which we were able to identify by analyzing thousands of individual cells at a time,” says Dr. Holger Heyn, head of the Single Cell Genomics laboratory at CNAG.
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 immune cells, which play a crucial role in preventing infection and protecting against various types of damage.
The study describes how, during aging, the presence of some of these immune cells, namely gamma delta T cells, innate lymphoid cells and CD4+ T cells, is significantly increased in the skin. These same cells also begin to express very high levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-17.
“Aging is associated with mild but persistent inflammation and, in the skin, this is characterized by a significant increase in IL-17, which causes skin deterioration,” explains Dr. Paloma Solá, first author of the article. , along with Dr. Elisabetta Mereu, who is now a researcher at the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute.
Reverse the symptoms of aging on the skin
Previous studies had described that IL-17 is related to some autoimmune skin diseases, such as psoriasis, and there are treatments that block this protein. The research team studied the response of several aspects to blocking IL-17 activity, including hair follicle growth, transepidermal water loss, wound healing, and genetic markers of aging. All four of these parameters showed improvement after treatment, as the acquisition of these aging traits was significantly delayed.
“The IL-17 protein is essential for vital functions in the body, such as defense against microbes and wound healing, so permanently blocking it would not be an option. What we have observed is that its temporary inhibition offers benefits that could be of interest at the therapeutic level. level”, says Dr. Guiomar Solanasassociate researcher at IRB Barcelona.
The researchers’ future work will focus on clarifying the aging processes that are related to inflammatory states of the skin and how these are related to IL-17. The team will also address whether IL-17 is involved in the aging and deterioration of other tissues and organs.
This research has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC), the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, the Lilliane Bettencourt Foundation, the State Research Agency (AEI) and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER). ).
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230608121031.htm
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