title: Aging-related changes in cutaneous corticotropin-releasing hormone system reflect a defective neuroendocrine-stress response in aging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Skin, being a mirror of the body, is a major target for aging research. Aging is a complex process that involves the decline of function or dysfunction of many systems. The corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) system is involved in skin inflammation. In addition, CRH has a suggested role in age-associated conditions and in animal aging models. However, a consistent logic interaction between the different CRH system components and the aging process has, to our knowledge, never been examined before.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of CRH, CRH-binding protein (CRHBP), CRH receptor 1 (CRHR1), and CRH receptor 2 (CRHR2) in healthy skin samples of 42 patients of different ages (18-92 years) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and the age-related changes were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with young skin, the aged skin displayed an upregulation of CRH in sebaceous glands and CRHR1 in hair follicles and the epidermis. Moreover, age-associated downregulation of CRHBP in the sebaceous and sweat glands was detected, whereas the CRHR2 showed no age-related changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the age-associated changes in the expression of CRH system components reflect an exaggerated stress response reaction, putting the aged skin continuously in a stress-like situation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Dessau Medical Center, Dessau, Germany.
authors.forename: Rana Mohsen
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Elewa
authors.forename: Marwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdallah
authors.forename: Nagwa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.forename: Christos C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Zouboulis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D012627:Sebaceous Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; C067133:corticotropin releasing factor-binding protein; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone