Differential effects of photoaging vs intrinsic aging on the vascularization of human skin.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify the distinct effects of photoaging vs intrinsic aging of human skin on cutaneous vascularization in the Korean population.


METHODS
Case series.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
A total of 21 healthy Korean volunteers from the third to the ninth decades of life.


METHODS
Skin biopsy specimens were obtained from chronically sun-exposed and sun-protected skin of each participant.


METHODS
Frozen sections were stained for the platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule CD31 (PECAM-1), and computer-assisted quantitative image analysis was performed to quantify cutaneous vascular density and vessel size.


RESULTS
Intrinsically aged and photoaged skin showed an age-dependent reduction of cutaneous vessel size. However, only photoaged skin exhibited significantly reduced numbers of dermal vessels, in particular in the subepidermal areas that displayed extensive matrix damage. Linear regression analysis revealed an inverse relation of vessel numbers and age in sun-damaged, but not in sun-protected, skin.


CONCLUSIONS
In Korean skin, chronic photodamage results in a gradual decrease in the number and size of dermal vessels over several decades of sun exposure, most likely due to degenerative changes of the dermal extracellular matrix. Because the present investigation was restricted to ethnic Korean volunteers, future studies are needed to evaluate whether similar changes can be observed in whites.
Chung
Jin Ho
JH
Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Chongno-Gu, Korea. jhchung@snu.ac.kr
Yano
Kiichiro
K
Lee
Mi Kyung
MK
Youn
Choon Shik
CS
Seo
Jin Young
JY
Kim
Kyu Han
KH
Cho
Kwang Hyun
KH
Eun
Hee Chul
HC
Detmar
Michael
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D046508:Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007723:Korea; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*
D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1