Photoaging of Skin: a Genomic Approach

Photoaging, a remodeling of the dermis that arises as a result of repeated exposure of skin to UV-light has been identified as the predominant contributing factor to the prematurely aged appearance of sun-exposed skin. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the biochemical events leading to the phenotypic features of sun-damaged skin initiated by UV-light, we have undertaken a Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) of sun-damaged and sun-protected skin from a single patient undergoing elective facial plasty. Furthermore, to determine the inter-individual differences in gene expression profiles, we have used RNA preparations from skin obtained from 11 Caucasian patients with moderate sun damage and analyzed the changes in mRNA levels encoded by more than 22,000 different genes represented on microarrays. Elucidating the details of biosynthetic and signaling cascades involved in photoaging and the complex inter-relationships between these different mechanisms will not only assist in establishing the biological basis for sun damage and solar elastosis, it will also provide critical new insights into the treatment of the prematurely, aged appearance of skin.