New ingredient from Rosa rugosa delays skin ageing

During this process the skin cells become senescent, they slow down their metabolism and the production of structural matrix components. The Growth Differentiation Factor 11 (GDF11) has been recently identified as a pro-youth factor in several cell types, and in particular it was shown its involvement in the restoration of a young phenotype in skin fibroblasts, by stimulating important ExtraCellular Matrix proteins. Furthermore, its key role in modulating mitochondrial functions in skin cells during ageing has been highlighted. In the present article, we describe the characterisation of a plant extract, obtained from Rosa rugosatissue cultures, able to produce a ‘rejuvenating’ effect in aged skin fibroblasts by inducing GDF11 expression and synthesis. The extract was also capable of increasing the expression of PGC1alpha, the master regulator of the mitochondrial biogenesis, and other important genes involved in the pathway, leading to an improvement of cell metabolism and longevity.

Skin ageing is a very complex phenomenon caused by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, and it is certainly the most relevant concern in cosmetics and dermatology.  As cells age, the production and the organisation of the important components that constitute both the epidermis and the dermis matrixes decline, leaving visible signs on the surface of the skin. Although many of the mechanisms involved in the ageing process have not been completely clarified yet, a lot of research has been conducted so far and several factors responsible for the senescence progression and youth maintenance have been identified. Moreover, the activity of different plant derived compounds on cell ageing have been studied and their effects in slowing down or even partially revert the ageing phenotypes have been demonstrated.1 Indeed, several antioxidant molecules, such as vitamins, flavonoids, phenolic acids and lignans, are capable of protecting skin cells against environmental insults and enhancing self-repair mechanisms during ageing, when topically applied in skin care creams.2 

In the last years of research in skin ageing, a pro-youth protein, called “Growth Differentiation factor 11” (GDF11), was identified as a circulating factor in human blood. GDF11 belongs to the Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGFb) family, which includes other factors that modulate the growth and the differentiation of many cell types.3 Similarly to the other members of the family, GDF11 binds to specific transmembrane receptors, which, upon activation and phosphorylation of the transcription factor Smad2, trigger signal transduction pathways, leading to the regulation of target genes in the nucleus.4-5 GDF11 biological effects in promoting cell rejuvenation were demonstrated in tissues like heart, muscles or nervous system,6 and more recently we reported that it has got a very promising role in the skin as well, since it reverted senescent phenotypes in adult cells and restored the production of collagens and periostin to that of young fibroblasts.7