Inhibitory Effect of Lupeol on MMPs Expression using Aged Fibroblast through Repeated UVA Irradiation

In this study, the aged dermal fibroblast model was constructed by repeated irradiation with UV light and the effect of lupeol, a triterpenoid, on anti-aging was confirmed. SA-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) stained aged cells increased by about 40% and expression of p-p53, p21, p16 and MMPs (MMP-1, -2, -3) increased in aged fibroblast. As an efficacy result, the treatment of lupeol on aged fibroblast induced by UVA repeated irradiation showed a dose-dependent reduction of SA-β-gal stained aged cells, the expression of p-p53, p21, p16 and inhibition of MMPs. Interestingly, lupeol increased dephosphorylation of p-ERK in repeated UV irradiated conditions. Additionally, lupeol compensated MMPs expression when p-ERK phosphorylation was inhibited by p-ERK inhibitor PD98059. Thus, these results showed that lupeol has a possible effect on MMPs expression using inhibition of the p-ERK pathway. Taken together, we confirmed that lupeol inhibits senescence through inhibiting MMP-1, -2, -3 as well as p-p53, p21 and p16 expression and SA-β-gal activity in repeated UVA-irradiated senescent FB models, therefore suggesting that lupeol may be useful as an anti-aging agent.