Isoflavonoid from Viola hondoensis, Regulates the Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 in Human Skin Fibroblasts

Abstract

Long term and repeated exposure of ultraviolet (UV) light, a harmful environmental stress, on the skin often induces chronic skin diseases such as skin cancer as well as photoaging (premature skin aging), and the mechanisms of these skin damages are closely associated with up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activities. Here we investigated the effect of 2',4',7-trihydroxyisoflavone isolated from the whole plants of Viola hondoensis (Violaceae) on the expression of MMPs in UV-irradiated human skin fibroblasts in vitro. 2',4',7-Trihydroxyisoflavone markedly reduced UV-induced MMP-1 expression, but not MMP-2, at the both mRNA and protein levels in a dose-dependent manner. Our report is the first description for the ability of 2',4',7-trihydroxyisoflavone to regulate MMP-1 expression specifically.