title: Ascorbic acid enhances the expression of type 1 and type 4 collagen and SVCT2 in cultured human skin fibroblasts.
abstract: Ascorbic acid (AA) is essential for collagen biosynthesis as a cofactor for prolyl and lysyl hydroxylase and as a stimulus for collagen gene expression. Many studies have evaluated the relationship between AA and collagen expression in short- and long-term effects on cells after a single administration of AA into the culture medium. However, no such study has monitored in detail the stability of AA in medium or the alterations of intracellular AA levels during a protracted interval. Therefore, we examined here intracellular AA levels and stability throughout its exposure to human skin fibroblasts in vitro. Moreover, we determined the effects on type 1 and type 4 collagen and sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter (SVCT) gene expression when medium containing 100 μM AA was replaced every 24h for 5 days to avoid depletion of AA. Throughout this long-term culture, intracellular AA levels remained constant; the expression of type 1 and type 4 collagens and SVCT2 mRNA was enhanced, and type 1 procollagen synthesis increased. Thus, these results indicate that human skin fibroblasts exposed to AA over time had rising levels of type 1/type 4 collagens and SVCT2 mRNA expression and type 1 procollagen synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Regulation of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.forename: Norikatsu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurita
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimokado
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Akihito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishigami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000235:genetics*; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000235:genetics*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D060347:Sodium-Coupled Vitamin C Transporters / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D024141:Collagen Type IV; D003470:Culture Media; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C555163:SLC23A2 protein, human; D060347:Sodium-Coupled Vitamin C Transporters; D001205:Ascorbic Acid