Skin-infiltrating neutrophils following exposure to solar-simulated radiation could play an important role in photoageing of human skin

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology of photoageing of the skin has been studied extensively. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) originating from keratinocytes and fibroblasts are thought to play a primary role in this process. Although neutrophils are potent producers of a wide array of proteolytic substances and are present in sunburned skin, their contribution to the pathophysiology of photoageing has been described only in murine studies. OBJECTIVES: To determine the role of neutrophils in photoageing of human skin. METHODS: Healthy white-skinned volunteers were recruited and their sun-protected buttock skin was exposed to solar-simulated radiation (SSR) in dose-response and time-course studies. Punch biopsies were taken and the influx of neutrophils and the expression of neutrophil elastase and MMPs was studied using immunohistochemical techniques and in situ zymography. RESULTS: Neutrophil elastase and MMPs were detected only in skin irradiated with erythemogenic doses (> or = 1 minimal erythema doses) of SSR. Immunohistochemical double staining demonstrated neutrophils to be the major source of MMP-1, MMP-8 and MMP-9. In situ zymography showed elastase, collagenase and gelatinase enzyme activity in those cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that neutrophils participate in the process of photoageing of human skin as they infiltrate the skin and release enzymatically active elastase (neutrophil elastase), collagenase (MMP-1) and gelatinase (MMP-9).