Estradiol Protects Dermal Hyaluronan/Versican Matrix during Photoaging by Release of Epidermal Growth Factor from Keratinocytes.

Hyaluronan (HA) and versican are key components of the dermis and are responsive to ultraviolet (UV)B-induced remodeling. The aim of this study was to explore the molecular mechanisms mediating the effects of estrogen (E2) on HA-rich extracellular matrix during photoaging. Hairless skh-1 mice were irradiated with UVB (three times, 1 minimal erythema dose (80 mJ/cm2), weekly) for 10 weeks, and endogenous sex hormone production was abrogated by ovariectomy. Subcutaneous substitution of E2 by means of controlled-release pellets caused a strong increase in the dermal HA content in both irradiated and nonirradiated skin. The increase in dermal HA correlated with induction of HA synthase HAS3 by E2. Expression of splice variant 2 of the HA-binding proteoglycan versican was also increased by E2. In search of candidate mediators of these effects, it was found that E2 strongly induced the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in UVB-irradiated epidermis in vivo and in keratinocytes in vitro. EGF in turn up-regulated the expression of HAS3 and versican V2 in dermal fibroblasts. HAS3 knockdown by shRNA caused inhibition of fibroblast proliferation. Furthermore, HAS3 and versican V2 induction by E2 correlated positively with proliferation in vivo. In addition, the accumulation of inflammatory macrophages, expression of inducible cyclooxygenase 2, as well as proinflammatory monocyte chemotactic protein 1 were decreased in response to E2 in the dermis. Collectively, these data suggest that E2 treatment increases the amount of dermal HA and versican V2 via paracrine release of EGF, which may be implicated in the pro-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of E2 during photoaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]