title: Dermal carbonyl modification is related to the yellowish color change of photo-aged Japanese facial skin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The photo-aged facial skin is characterized by various unique features such as dark spots, wrinkles, and sagging. Elderly people, particularly Asians, tend to show a yellowish skin color change with photo-aging. However, there has been no analytical study conducted on this unique skin color change of the aged facial skin.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study is to examine whether the carbonyl modification in the dermal protein is involved in the yellowish color change that occurs in the photo-aged skin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normal skin samples excised from the face, abdomen and buttock of variously aged Japanese were separated into the epidermal and the dermal portions. These skin samples were histologically examined for carbonyl modification. Moreover, an in vitro constructed dermis model composed of a contracted collagen gel was treated with acrolein or 4-hydroxynonenal. All these samples were also studied colorimetrically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The dermal samples obtained from the photo-aged facial skin exhibited an appearance of yellowish color, whereas neither the facial epidermis nor the dermis obtained from the abdomen or buttock showed such a yellowish discoloration. The upper layer of the dermis that revealed the yellowish color showed elastosis whose elastic fibers were found to colocalize with carbonyl protein as detected by a labeled hydrazide, as well as by an immunohistochemical examination using the antibody against acrolein adduct. Experimental induction of carbonyl modification in a dermis model in vitro by a long-term treatment with acrolein or 4-hydroxynonenal was found to show the appearance of the yellowish change which was also proven by an increase in b* value of colorimetry. It was more pronounced than that induced by glycation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our present results strongly suggest that carbonyl modification of the dermal protein is involved in the production of the yellowish color change that is noted in the photo-aged facial skin.
authors.affiliation: Shiseido Research Center, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: Kouhei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Shinpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okawa
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Hachiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tagami
authors.forename: Motoji
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Tetsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirao
mesh_terms: D000171:Acrolein / Q000494:pharmacology; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000494:pharmacology; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D003116:Color; D004548:Elasticity; D005145:Face / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015595:Skin Aging
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D002244:Carbon; D000171:Acrolein; D003094:Collagen; C027576:4-hydroxy-2-nonenal