Upregulation of collagen type 1 in aged murine dermis after transplantation of dermal multipotent cells.

BACKGROUND

Multipotent cells can be isolated from dermis, and have wound-healing and antioxidant effects on human and murine skin.

AIM

To investigate the changes in aged dermis after injection of dermal multipotent cells and adult fibroblasts.

METHODS

Dermal multipotent cells were isolated and cultured from 3-day-old BALB/c mice by a regular dermal fibroblast culture system. We used various inducers to confirm the multilineage differentiation of these cells, then the dermal multipotent cells were transplanted into the dermis of aged (12-week-old) BALB/c mice. At 2 and 4 weeks after transplantation, we examined dermal thickness, and determined the amounts of collagen type I present, using PCR and western blotting.

RESULT

The dermal multipotent cells exhibited adipogenic and osteogenic phenotypes when cultured in the presence of certain inducers. Dermal thickness and collagen content in the dermis also increased in the mice injected with dermal multipotent cells, which also had increased RNA and protein expression of collagen type I.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, these results indicate that dermal multipotent cells are more effective than fibroblasts in increasing collagen type I and dermal thickness, which may be of importance in preventing skin ageing.