Selective inhibition of skin fibroblast elastase elicits a concentration-dependent prevention of ultraviolet B-Induced wrinkle formation

We previously reported that wrinkle formation in the skin following long-te rm ultraviolet B irradiation is accompanied by decreases in skin elasticity and the curling of elastic fibers in the dermis. We further showed that wr inkles could be repaired by treatment with retinoic acid and that this was concomitant with the recovery of skin elasticity ascribed to the repair of damaged elastic fibers. Those studies suggested that decreasing the tortuos ity of dermal elastic fibers is an important factor involved in inhibiting or repairing wrinkle formation. Therefore, it is of particular interest to determine whether the inhibition of elastase activity in vivo would prevent the damage of dermal elastic fibers and might abolish wrinkle formation as sociated with the loss of skin elasticity. Because the major elastase in th e skin under noninflammatory conditions is skin fibroblast elastase, we use d a specific inhibitor of that enzyme to assess its biologic role in wrinkl e formation. The hind limb skins of Sprague-Dawley rats were irradiated wit h ultraviolet B at a suberythemal dose three times a week for 6 wk. During that period, 0.1-10.0 mM N-phenetylphosphonyl-leucyl-tryptophane, an inhibi tor of skin fibroblast elastase, was applied topically five times a week. N -phenetylphosphonyl-leucyl-tryptophane application at concentrations of 0.1 -1.0 mM abolished wrinkle formation in a concentration-dependent manner, wi th a peak for inhibition at 1.0 mM. This inhibition was accompanied by a co ntinued low tortuosity of dermal elastic fibers and a maintenance of skin e lasticity. Measurement of elastase activity after 6 wk of ultraviolet B irr adiation demonstrated that whereas phosphoramidon-sensitive elastase activi ty was significantly enhanced in the ultraviolet B-exposed skin, there was no significant increase in that activity in the ultraviolet B-exposed, N-ph enetylphosphonylleucyl-tryptophane-treated skin. These findings suggest tha t skin fibroblast elastase plays an essential part in the degeneration and/ or tortuosity of elastic fibers induced by cumulative ultraviolet B irradia tion.