Understanding Collagen Hybridizing Peptides in Assessing Dermal Damage and Repair After UV Exposure
Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) occurs during prolonged exposure to sunlight and is associated with a variety of negative physiological effects, including skin damage, inflammation, and cancer. Many of these effects are due to the formation and accumulation of reactive oxygen species, which damage the extracellular matrix and impair cellular functioning. Fibroblasts are the primary cell type found in the dermis, which makes them compelling targets for studying the effect of acute and chronic UV exposure on the cellular environment.
In this study, researchers used Collagen Hybridizing Peptide (CHP) staining to elucidate the degree of collagen damage following chronic UVB exposure. Mice were exposed to UVB radiation twice a week for 8 weeks, after which skin samples were collected and analyzed using immunofluorescent staining techniques. CHP staining revealed increased levels of damaged collagen in the chronically exposed skin, which correlated to decreased numbers of fibroblasts in the upper dermis.
The number of fibroblasts in the upper dermis did not recover even 30 days after UVB exposure, indicating a long-lasting impact of extracellular matrix (ECM) damage on cell populations. This prolonged impact on fibroblast recovery provides new insights into how UVR exposure damages the ECM and affects dermal repair processes over time.
Rognoni, Emanuel et al. “Role of distinct fibroblast lineages and immune cells in dermal repair following UV radiation-induced tissue damage.” eLife vol. 10