Navitoclax (ABT-263) Rejuvenates Human Skin by Eliminating Senescent Dermal Fibroblasts in a Mouse/Human Chimeric Model

Chronic senescence, such as aging, contributes to age-related tissue dysfunction and disease development. The accumulation of senescent fibroblasts and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype is particularly implicated in this process. Removal of senescent cells has been reported to prevent tissue dysfunction and to extend the life span during aging. ABT-263 (navitoclax), which inhibits antiapoptotic proteins, is a leading antiaging drug; however, its role in human skin aging is unclear. This study aimed to determine the rejuvenating effects of ABT-263 on aging skin using a human skin graft mouse model. We assessed the viability of ABT-263-treated skin fibroblasts after inducing senescence. Aged human skin was transplanted under the back skin of nude mice and injected intraperitoneally with the drug or control. Analysis of the skin specimens revealed that ABT-263 induced selective elimination of senescent dermal fibroblasts. Senescent human skin treated with ABT-263 exhibited a decrease in the number of senescent cells and in the expression of aging-related secretory phenotype molecules, such as matrix metalloproteinases and interleukins and an increase in collagen density. Our results indicate that selective removal of senescent skin cells with ABT-263 can improve the aging phenotype of human skin without side effects. ABT-263 is, thus, a novel potential therapeutic agent for skin aging.