TLDR Targeting TGFβ can improve skin immunity in older people.
The study demonstrated that the age-related decline in the antimicrobial function of dermal fat was mediated by Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGFβ), which inhibited the adipogenic and antimicrobial functions of dermal fibroblasts (dFB). Neonatal skin, rich in adipogenic dFB and immature dermal fat, effectively expressed antimicrobial peptides like cathelicidin, providing protection against Staphylococcus aureus. However, this capacity decreased with age due to increased TGFβ activity, which promoted a fibrotic phenotype. Inhibition of the TGFβ receptor restored these functions in adult mice, enhancing resistance to infection. The findings suggested that targeting TGFβ pathways could potentially improve skin immunity in older individuals by reversing the age-related switch from a pro-adipogenic to a pro-fibrotic state in dFB.
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