Air Pollution, Autophagy, and Skin Aging: Impact of Particulate Matter on Human Dermal Fibroblasts

The 2018 study investigated the effects of particulate matter (PM10) on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) to understand its role in skin aging and inflammation. HDFs were exposed to PM10 at a concentration of 30 µg/cm² for 24 hours, leading to a significant increase in pro-inflammatory genes and proteins, and an increase in matrix metalloproteinase mRNA expression. Conversely, there was a decrease in collagen synthesis gene and protein expression. Autophagy was also increased, as observed through transmission electron microscopy. The study, which involved 8 skin samples from individuals with an average age of 40.5 years, concluded that PM10 contributes to skin inflammation and aging by impairing collagen synthesis and suggested that autophagy may play a reparative role in HDFs stressed with PM.