Puerarin blocks the aging phenotype in human dermal fibroblasts

Dermal fibroblast aging contributes to aging-associated functional defects in the skin since dermal fibroblasts maintain skin homeostasis by interacting with the epidermis and extracellular matrix. Here, we found that puerarin, an isoflavone present in Pueraria lobata (Kudzu), can prevent the development of the aging-phenotype in human dermal fibroblasts. Normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) were subcultivated and high-passage cells were selected as senescent cells, whereas low-passage cells were selected as a young cell control. Puerarin treatment increased cell proliferation and decreased the proportion of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase-positive cells in a high-passage culture of NHDFs. Moreover, puerarin treatment reduced the number of smooth muscle actin (SMA)-positive myofibroblasts and the expression of a reticular fibroblast marker, calponin 1 (CNN1), which were induced in high-passage NHDFs. Fulvestrant, an estrogen receptor antagonist, blocked the puerarin-mediated downregulation of SMA and CNN1. Our results suggest that puerarin may be a useful functional food that alleviates aging-related functional defects in dermal fibroblasts.