28079 Serum proteases upregulate significantly between 20 and 40 years of age: Impact for dermal matrix regulation

Abstract

Degradation of the dermal extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key hallmark of skin aging. This ECM damage is externally visible as wrinkles and sagging skin later in life, but these phenotypic changes are known to be the result of cumulative damage over time. In the current work proteomics analysis was performed on plasma from Caucasian women in the age groups of 20s, 40s, and 60s from a study we call the Multi-Decade & Ethnicity (MDE). Analysis of this data indicated ∼1/3 more proteins were regulated between 20 and 40 than between 40 and 60. Proteolytic themes are dominant in the 5 most significant process networks identified in our age comparisons with connective tissue degradation and extracellular matrix remodeling strongly regulated in this data. Six major proteases are upregulated between the 20s and 40s which do not show further regulation between 40 and 60. Although other proteases are upregulated between 40 and 60 those regulated between 20 and 40 contain major collagen degrading proteases. This work demonstrates proteolytic enzymes increase in plasma with age and that a significant amount of this regulation happens between 20 and 40 years of age. Concurrent with downregulation of collagen expression as previously demonstrated in the MDE study the 20 to 40-time span is of critical interest for dermal remodeling and structural vulnerability leading to future appearance issues.