Plant Extract Counteracts Detrimental Effects of Cellular Senescence in Human Skin Fibroblasts

André Dargen de Matos Branco

Key information

Authors:

André Dargen de Matos Branco (André Dargen de Matos Branco)

Supervisors:

Johannes Grillari; Tiago Paulo Gonçalves Pinheiro Fernandes (Tiago Paulo Gonçalves Fernandes)

Published in

11/21/2016

Abstract

Cellular senescence is an integrate part of aging, being one of the main promoters of age-related diseases. Senescence is responsible for encouraging dysfunction, atrophy and chronic inflammation that wear down any tissue with age. However, it exhibits essential benefits, such as suppressing tumor development, which make it more difficult to develop strategies to tackle senescence. When allied with the Papillary-to-Reticular Transition hypothesis, both these cellular events describe the human dermal fibroblast process of aging in skin. A plant extract, named 1201, was evaluated in challenging fibroblast senescence, by several approaches. Also, more justification for the papillary-to-reticular transition hypothesis was searched. 1201 is the first reported concoction that can go against senescence in three different ways. Firstly, 1201 was shown to delay senescence by interfering in the papillary-to-reticular transition. Secondly, it was proven to cripple the secretory phenotype of senescent fibroblasts. Finally, abilities in selectively eliminating senescent cells were verified. Together, 1201 demonstrated considerable potential in being an all-round force against senescence in skin.