Could aging human skin use a connective tissue growth factor boost to increase collagen content?

Abstract

The roles of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and transforming growth factor-Β (TGF-Β), both well-known collagen production stimulators, were examined in skin aging. Aged skin and fibroblasts exhibited a coordinate decrease in CTGF, TGF-Β, and type I procollagen expression and content. CTGF knockdown and TGF-Β blockade in normal dermal fibroblasts reduced procollagen expression, whereas overexpressing CTGF increased procollagen by a TGF-Β/Smad signaling-dependent mechanism without involving Smad2/3.