Increased fibroblast elastase activity in acquired cutis laxa

Background: Acquired cutis laxa is a rare disease characterized by sagging skin, premature wrinkling and reduced skin elasticity. Observation: We repo rt a 21-year-old woman, who presented with acquired cutis laxa on the face and the ear lobes, Urticarial papules had preceded for 6 years. There was n o systemic involvement, Skin specimens were obtained from lax skin and urti carial papules, and from healthy controls. Histology showed only few periva scular lymphocytes in lax ear skin and a dense inflammatory infiltrate in u rticarial skin. In both biopsies elastic fibres were decreased as demonstra ted by computerized morphometric analyses, Elastase activities of fibroblas ts in culture were evaluated. There was a 2- to 3-fold increase in elastase activity in urticarial skin fibroblasts, contrasting with a normal elastas e activity in lax ear skin, Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the infla mmatory cells could play a significant role in the destruction of elastic f ibres.