Pancreatic stellate cells (PSC), a prominent stromal cell, contribute to the progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We aim to investigate the mechanisms by which PSC promote cell proliferation in PDAC cell lines, BxPC-3 and AsPC-1. PSC-conditioned media (PSC-CM) induced proliferation of these cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Nrf2 protein was upregulated and subsequently, its transcriptional activity was increased with greater DNA binding activity and transcription of target genes. Downregulation of Nrf2 led to suppression of PSC-CM activity in BxPC-3, but not in AsPC-1 cells. However, overexpression of Nrf2 alone resulted in increased cell proliferation in both cell lines, and treatment with PSC-CM further enhanced this effect. Activation of Nrf2 pathway resulted in upregulation of metabolic genes involved in pentose phosphate pathway, glutaminolysis and glutathione biosynthesis. Downregulation and inhibition of glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase with siRNA and chemical approaches reduced PSC-mediated cell proliferation. Among the cytokines present in PSC-CM, stromal-derived factor-1 alpha (SDF-1α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) activated Nrf2 pathway to induce cell proliferation in both cells, as shown with neutralization antibodies, recombinant proteins and signaling inhibitors. Taken together, SDF-1α and IL-6 secreted from PSC induced PDAC cell proliferation via Nrf2-activated metabolic reprogramming and ROS detoxification.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a form of inherited peripheral neuropathy that affects motor and sensory neurons. To identify the causative gene in a consanguineous family with autosomal recessive CMT (AR-CMT), we employed a combination of linkage analysis and whole exome sequencing. After excluding known AR-CMT genes, genome-wide linkage analysis mapped the disease locus to a 7.48-Mb interval on chromosome 14q32.11-q32.33, flanked by the markers rs2124843 and rs4983409. Whole exome sequencing identified two non-synonymous variants (p.T40P and p.H915Y) in the AHNAK2 gene that segregated with the disease in the family. Pathogenic predictions indicated that p.T40P is the likely causative allele. Analysis of AHNAK2 expression in the AR-CMT patient fibroblasts showed significantly reduced mRNA and protein levels. AHNAK2 binds directly to periaxin which is encoded by the PRX gene, and PRX mutations are associated with another form of AR-CMT (CMT4F). The altered expression of mutant AHNAK2 may disrupt the AHNAK2-PRX interaction in which one of its known functions is to regulate myelination.
Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) causes 15% of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here we show that recessive mutations in FAT1 cause a distinct renal disease entity in four families with a combination of SRNS, tubular ectasia, haematuria and facultative neurological involvement. Loss of FAT1 results in decreased cell adhesion and migration in fibroblasts and podocytes and the decreased migration is partially reversed by a RAC1/CDC42 activator. Podocyte-specific deletion of Fat1 in mice induces abnormal glomerular filtration barrier development, leading to podocyte foot process effacement. Knockdown of Fat1 in renal tubular cells reduces migration, decreases active RAC1 and CDC42, and induces defects in lumen formation. Knockdown of fat1 in zebrafish causes pronephric cysts, which is partially rescued by RAC1/CDC42 activators, confirming a role of the two small GTPases in the pathogenesis. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of SRNS and tubulopathy, linking FAT1 and RAC1/CDC42 to podocyte and tubular cell function.
In this study the antioxidant and cytotoxicity activity of the Adonidia merrillii fruits were investigated using different solvent polarities (methanol, ethyl acetate and water). The results showed that the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the methanolic extract was higher compare with other extract with respective values of 17.80 ± 0.45 mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight (DW) and 5.43 ± 0.33 mg rutin equivalents/g DW. Beside that The RP-HPLC analyses indicated the presence of gallic acid, pyrogallol, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, naringin and rutin. In the DPPH, NO2 and ABTS scavenging assays, the methanolic extract exhibited higher antioxidant activity as compared to the ethyl acetate and water extracts. The extracts exhibited moderate to weak cytotoxic activity in the assays using human hepatocytes (Chang liver cells) and NIH/3T3 (fibroblasts cell) cell lines. The findings showed the Adonidia merrillii fruit extracts to possess considerable antioxidant and cytotoxicity properties. The fruit, therefore, is a potential candidate for further work to discover antioxidant and cytotoxic drugs from natural sources.
Nanocomposite is used as a dental filling to restore the affected tooth, especially in dental caries. The dental nanocomposite (KelFil) for tooth restoration used in this study was produced by the School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia and is incorporated with monodispersed, spherical nanosilica fillers. The aim of the study was to determine the genotoxic effect of KelFil using in vitro genotoxicity tests. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of KelFil was evaluated using MTT assay, comet assay and chromosome aberration tests with or without the addition of a metabolic activation system (S9 mix), using the human lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5). Concurrent negative and positive controls were included. In the comet assay, no comet formation was found in the KelFil groups. There was a significant difference in tail moment between KelFil groups and positive control (p < 0.05). Similarly, no significant aberrations in chromosomes were noticed in KelFil groups. The mitotic indices of treatment groups and negative control were significantly different from positive controls. Hence, it can be concluded that the locally produced dental restoration nanocomposite (KelFil) is non-genotoxic under the present test conditions.
The treatment of cancer through chemotherapy is limited by its toxicity to healthy tissues and organs, and its inability to target the cancer site. In this study, we have designed an anticancer nanocomposite delivery system for protocatechuic acid (PCA) using graphene oxide⁻polyethylene glycol as the nanocarrier, and coated with folic acid (GO⁻PEG⁻PCA⁻FA) for targeting the cancer cells. The designed anticancer delivery system was found to show much better anticancer activity than the free drug PCA against liver cancer HEP-G2 cells and human colon cancer HT-29 cells; at same time, it was found to be less toxic to normal fibroblast 3T3 cells. The folate-coated anticancer delivery system was found to show better activity then the free drug and the uncoated anticancer delivery system. The in vitro release of the PCA was found to be sustained in human physiological pHs, i.e., blood pH 7.4 and intracellular lysosomal pH 4.8. These in vitro findings are highly encouraging for further in vivo evaluation studies.
Understanding the mechanisms underlying the radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE) and bi-directional signaling between irradiated carcinoma cells and their surrounding non-irradiated normal cells is relevant to cancer radiotherapy. The present study investigated propagation of RIBE signals between human lung carcinoma A549 cells and normal lung fibroblast WI38 cells in bystander cells, either directly or indirectly contacting irradiated A549 cells. We prepared A549-GFP/WI38 co-cultures and A549-GFP/A549 co-cultures, in which A549-GFP cells stably expressing H2BGFP were co-cultured with either A549 cells or WI38 cells, respectively. Using the SPICE-NIRS microbeam, only the A549-GFP cells were irradiated with 500 protons per cell. The level of γ-H2AX, a marker for DNA double-strand breaks (DSB), was subsequently measured for up to 24h post-irradiation in three categories of cells: (1) "targeted"/irradiated A549-GFP cells; (2) "neighboring"/non-irradiated cells directly contacting the "targeted" cells; and (3) "distant"/non-irradiated cells, which were not in direct contact with the "targeted" cells. We found that DSB repair in targeted A549-GFP cells was enhanced by co-cultured WI38 cells. The bystander response in A549-GFP/A549 cell co-cultures, as marked by γ-H2AX levels at 8h post-irradiation, showed a decrease to non-irradiated control level when approaching 24h, while the neighboring/distant bystander WI38 cells in A549-GFP/WI38 co-cultures was maintained at a similar level until 24h post-irradiation. Surprisingly, distant A549-GFP cells in A549-GFP/WI38 co-cultures showed time dependency similar to bystander WI38 cells, but not to distant cells in A549-GFP/A549 co-cultures. These observations indicate that γ-H2AX was induced in WI38 cells as a result of RIBE. WI38 cells were not only involved in rescue of targeted A549, but also in the modification of RIBE against distant A549-GFP cells. The present results demonstrate that radiation-induced bi-directional signaling had extended a profound influence on cellular sensitivity to radiation as well as the sensitivity to RIBE.
Leaves of Centella asiatica (Centella) were analysed for their triterpene composition and bioactivity such as collagen enhancement, antioxidant, anticellulite and UV protection capacity properties. Triterpenes of Centella were measured using HPLC-PAD on an Excil ODS 5 mm (C18) column for the simultaneous determination of asiatic acid, madecassic acid, asiaticoside and madecassoside. Centella was found to contain significant amounts of madecassoside (3.10 ± 4.58 mg/mL) and asiaticoside (1.97 ± 2.65 mg/mL), but was low in asiatic and madecassic acid. The highest collagen synthesis was found at 50 mg/mL of Centella extracts. The antioxidant activity of Centella (84%) was compared to grape seed extract (83%) and Vitamin C (88%). Its lipolytic activity was observed by the release of glycerol (115.9 µmol/L) at 0.02% concentration. Centella extracts exhibited similar UV protection effect to OMC at 10% concentration. In view of these results, the potential application of Centella in food and pharmaceutical industries is now widely open.
The present study was designed to determine the radioprotective effects of Malaysian Gelam honey on gene expression and enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) of human diploid fibroblasts (HDFs) subjected to gamma-irradiation. Six groups of HDFs were studied: untreated control, irradiated HDFs, Gelam honey-treated HDFs and HDF treated with Gelam honey pre-, during- and post-irradiation. HDFs were treated with 6 mg/mL of sterilized Gelam honey (w/v) for 24 h and exposed to 1 Gray (Gy) of gamma rays at the dose rate of 0.25 Gy/min. Gamma-irradiation was shown to down-regulate SOD1, SOD2, CAT and GPx1 gene expressions (p < 0.05). Conversely, HDFs treated with Gelam honey alone showed up-regulation of all genes studied. Similarly, SOD, CAT and GPx enzyme activities in HDFs decreased with gamma-irradiation and increased when cells were treated with Gelam honey (p < 0.05). Furthermore, of the three different stages of study treatment, pre-treatment with Gelam honey caused up-regulation of SOD1, SOD2 and CAT genes expression and increased the activity of SOD and CAT. As a conclusion, Gelam honey modulates the expression of antioxidant enzymes at gene and protein levels in irradiated HDFs indicating its potential as a radioprotectant agent.
Zanthoxylum rhetsa is an aromatic tree, known vernacularly as "Indian Prickly Ash". It has been predominantly used by Indian tribes for the treatment of many infirmities like diabetes, inflammation, rheumatism, toothache and diarrhea. In this study, we identified major volatile constituents present in different solvent fractions of Z. rhetsa bark using GC-MS analysis and isolated two tetrahydrofuran lignans (yangambin and kobusin), a berberine alkaloid (columbamine) and a triterpenoid (lupeol) from the bioactive chloroform fraction. The solvent fractions and purified compounds were tested for their cytotoxic potential against human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) and mouse melanoma (B16-F10) cells, using the MTT assay. All the solvent fractions and purified compounds were found to be non-cytotoxic to HDF cells. However, the chloroform fraction and kobusin exhibited cytotoxic effect against B16-F10 melanoma cells. The presence of bioactive lignans and alkaloids were suggested to be responsible for the cytotoxic property of Z. rhetsa bark against B16-F10 cells.
Tyrosinase inhibitors have become increasingly important targets for hyperpigmentation disease treatment. Kojic monooleate (KMO), synthesized from the esterification of kojic acid and oleic acid, has shown a better depigmenting effect than kojic acid. In this study, the process parameters include the speed of high shear, the time of high shear and the speed of the stirrer in the production of nanoemulsion containing KMO was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), as well as evaluated in terms of its physicochemical properties, safety and efficacy. The optimized condition for the formulation of KMO nanoemulsion was 8.04 min (time of high shear), 4905.42 rpm (speed of high shear), and 271.77 rpm (speed of stirrer), which resulted in a droplet size of 103.97 nm. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the fitness of the quadratic polynomial fit the experimental data with large F-values (148.79) and small p-values (p < 0.0001) and an insignificant lack of fit. The optimized nanoemulsion containing KMO with a pH value of 5.75, showed a high conductivity value (3.98 mS/cm), which indicated that the nanoemulsion containing KMO was identified as an oil-in-water type of nanoemulsion. The nanoemulsion remains stable (no phase separation) under a centrifugation test and displays accelerated stability during storage at 4, 25 and 45 °C over 90 days. The cytotoxicity assay showed that the optimized nanoemulsion was less toxic, with a 50% inhibition of cell viability (IC50) > 500 μg/mL, and that it can inhibit 67.12% of tyrosinase activity. This study reveals that KMO is a promising candidate for the development of a safe cosmetic agent to prevent hyperpigmentation.
Zika virus (ZIKV) represents a re-emerging threat to global health due to its association with congenital birth defects. ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease is crucial for virus replication by cleaving viral polyprotein at various junctions to release viral proteins and cause cytotoxic effects in ZIKV-infected cells. This study characterized the inhibitory effects of doxycycline against ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease and viral replication in human skin cells. The in silico data showed that doxycycline binds to the active site of ZIKV protease at a low docking energy (-7.8 Kcal/mol) via four hydrogen bonds with the protease residues TYR1130, SER1135, GLY1151, and ASP83. Doxycycline efficiently inhibited viral NS2B-NS3 protease at average human temperature (37 °C) and human temperature with a high fever during virus infection (40 °C). Interestingly, doxycycline showed a higher inhibitory effect at 40 °C (IC50 = 5.3 µM) compared to 37 °C (9.9 µM). The virus replication was considerably reduced by increasing the concentration of doxycycline. An approximately 50% reduction in virus replication was observed at 20 µM of doxycycline. Treatment with 20 µM of doxycycline reduced the cytopathic effects (CPE), and the 40 µM of doxycycline almost eliminated the CPE of human skin cells. This study showed that doxycycline binds to the ZIKV protease and inhibits its catalytic activity at a low micro-molecular concentration range. Treatment of human skin fibroblast with doxycycline eliminated ZIKV infection and protected the cells against the cytopathic effects of the infection.
Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) leaflets (OPLs) are one of the major agricultural by-products generated from the massive cultivation of Malaysian palm oil. This biomass is also reported to be of potential value based on its health-improving effects. By employing proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate data analysis (MVDA), the metabolite profile of OPLs was characterized and correlated with their antioxidant and wound healing properties. Principal component analysis (PCA) classified four varieties of extracts, prepared using solvents ranging from polar to medium polarity, into three distinct clusters. Cumulatively, six flavonoids, eight organic acids, four carbohydrates, and an amine were identified from the solvent extracts. The more polar extracts, such as, the ethyl acetate-methanol, absolute methanol, and methanol-water, were richer in phytochemicals. Based on partial least square (PLS) analysis, the constituents in these extracts, such as (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, and isovitexin, were strongly correlated with the measured antioxidant activities, comprising ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and nitric oxide (NO) free radical scavenging activities, as well as with cell proliferation and migration activities. This study has provided crucial evidence on the importance of these natural antioxidant compounds on the wound healing properties of OPL.
Herbal plants are traditionally utilized to treat various illnesses. They contain phytochemicals that can be extracted using conventional methods such as maceration, soxhlet, and boiling, as well as non-conventional methods including ultrasonic, microwave, and others. Carica papaya leaves have been used for the treatment of dengue, fungal, and bacterial infections as well as an ingredient in anti-aging products. Phytochemicals analysis detected the presence of kaempferol, myricetin, carpaine, pseudocarpaine, dehydrocarpaine I and II, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, β-carotene, lycopene, and anthraquinones glycoside. Conventional preparation by boiling and simple maceration is practical, simple, and safe; however, only polar phytochemicals are extracted. The present study aims to investigate the effects of three different non-conventional extraction techniques (ultrasonic-assisted extraction, reflux, and agitation) on C. papaya phytochemical constituents, the antioxidant capacity, and wound-healing activities. Among the three techniques, the reflux technique produced the highest extraction yield (17.86%) with the presence of saponins, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, and phenolic metabolites. The reflux technique also produced the highest 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging with an IC50 value of 0.236 mg/mL followed by ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) (IC50: 0.377 mg/mL) and agitation (IC50: 0.404 mg/mL). At tested concentrations (3.125 µg/mL to 500 µg/mL), all extracts do not exhibit a cytotoxicity effect on the human skin fibroblast, HSF1184. Interestingly, reflux and UAE were active fibroblast proliferators that support 85% (12.5 µg/mL) and 41% (6.25 µg/mL) better cell growth, respectively. Additionally, during the early 24 h of the scratch assay, the migration rate at 12.5 µg/mL was faster for all extracts with 51.8% (reflux), 49.3% (agitation), and 42.5% (UAE) as compared to control (21.87%). At 48 h, proliferated cells covered 78.7% of the scratch area for reflux extract, 63.1% for UAE, 61% for agitation, and 42.6% for control. Additionally, the collagen synthesis was enhanced for 31.6% and 65% after 24 and 48 h of treatment for reflux. An HPLC-MS/MS-QTOF (quadruple time-of-flight) analysis of reflux identified nine phytochemicals, including carpaine, kaempferol 3-(2G-glucosylrutinoside), kaempferol 3-(2″-rhamnosylgalactoside), 7-rhamnoside, kaempferol 3-rhamnosyl-(1->2)-galactoside-7-rhamnoside, luteolin 7-galactosyl-(1->6)-galactoside, orientin 7-O-rhamnoside, 11-hydroperoxy-12,13-epoxy-9-octadecenoic acid, palmitic amide, and 2-hexaprenyl-6-methoxyphenol. The results suggested that reflux was the best technique as compared to ultrasonic and agitation.
Inhibiting exaggerated wound healing responses, which are primarily mediated by human Tenon's fibroblast (HTF) migration and proliferation, has become the major determining factor for a successful trabeculectomy. Antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) has showed promising results as a potential antifibrotic candidate for use concurrently in trabeculectomy. Preliminary cohort studies have revealed improved bleb morphology following trabeculectomy augmented with ranibizumab. However, the effects on HTFs remain unclear. This study was conducted to understand the effects of ranibizumab on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 expression by HTFs.
Gelatin hydrogels are attractive for wound applications owing to their well-defined structural, physical, and chemical properties as well as good cell adhesion and biocompatibility. This study aimed to develop gelatin hydrogels incorporated with bio-nanosilver functionalized with lactoferrin (Ag-LTF) as a dual-antimicrobial action dressing, to be used in treating infected wounds. The hydrogels were cross-linked using genipin prior to loading with Ag-LTF and characterized for their physical and swelling properties, rheology, polymer and actives interactions, and in vitro release of the actives. The hydrogel's anti-biofilm and antibacterial performances against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa as well as their cytotoxicity effects were assessed in vitro, including primary wound healing gene expression of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). The formulated hydrogels showed adequate release of AgNPs and LTF, with promising antimicrobial effects against both bacterial strains. The Ag-LTF-loaded hydrogel did not significantly interfere with the normal cellular functions as no alteration was detected for cell viability, migration rate, and expression of the target genes, suggesting the nontoxicity of Ag-LTF as well as the hydrogels. In conclusion, Ag-LTF-loaded genipin-cross-linked gelatin hydrogel was successfully synthesized as a new approach for fighting biofilms in infected wounds, which may be applied to accelerate healing of chronic wounds.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic pulmonary disease that is characterized by formation of scar tissue in lungs. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is considered an important cytokine in the pathogenesis of this disease. Hence, the antifibrotic effect of an inhibitor of the TGF-β type I receptor, namely, SB 431542, was investigated in our study. SB 431542 was used to treat TGF-β-treated IMR-90 cells; the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was detected at the protein level by using an anti-α-SMA antibody, and at the gene level by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The effect of the inhibitor on cell proliferation was determined by a cell growth assay. The inhibitor was also administered into bleomycin-treated mice. Histopathological assessment and determination of total collagen levels were carried out to evaluate the severity of lung fibrosis in these mice. Our results demonstrated that treatment with SB 431542 inhibits TGF-β‑induced α-SMA expression in lung fibroblasts, at both the protein and the mRNA levels (P<0.05). However, the inhibitor did not significantly reduce lung fibroblast proliferation. In the bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis mouse model, bleomycin treatment caused important morphological changes, accompanied by an increase in the collagen level of the lungs. Early treatment with SB 431542 prevented the manifestation of histopathological alterations, whereas delayed treatment significantly decreased the collagen level (P<0.05). These results suggest that inhibition of TGF-β signaling, via inhibition of the activin receptor-like kinase-5 (ALK-5) by SB 431542, may attenuate pulmonary fibrosis.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation induces DNA damage, oxidative stress, and inflammatory processes in skin, resulting in photoaging. Natural botanicals have gained considerable attention due to their beneficial protection against the harmful effects of UV irradiation. The present study aimed to evaluate the ability of curcumin (Cur) to protect human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) against ultraviolet A (UVA)‑induced photoaging. HDFs were treated with 0‑10 µM Cur for 2 h and subsequently exposed to various intensities of UVA irradiation. The cell viability and apoptotic rate of HDFs were investigated by MTT and flow cytometry assays, respectively. The effect of UVA and Cur on the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde levels, which are an indicator of ROS, and the levels/activity of antioxidative defense proteins, including glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase, were evaluated using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate and commercial assay kits. Furthermore, western blotting was performed to determine the levels of proteins associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, the apoptotic pathway, inflammation and the collagen synthesis pathway. The results demonstrated that Cur reduced the accumulation of ROS and restored the activity of antioxidant defense enzymes, indicating that Cur minimized the damage induced by UVA irradiation in HDFs. Furthermore, western blot analysis demonstrated that Cur may attenuate UVA‑induced ER stress, inflammation and apoptotic signaling by downregulating the protein expression of glucose‑regulated protein 78, C/EBP‑homologous protein, nuclear factor‑κB and cleaved caspase‑3, while upregulating the expression of Bcl‑2. Additionally, it was demonstrated that Cur may regulate collagen metabolism by decreasing the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑1 and MMP‑3, and may promote the repair of cells damaged as a result of UVA irradiation through increasing the protein expression of transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β) and Smad2/3, and decreasing the expression of the TGF‑β inhibitor, Smad7. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate the potential benefits of Cur for the protection of HDFs against UVA‑induced photoaging and highlight the potential for the application of Cur in skin photoprotection.
NDUFAF3 is an assembly factor of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I. Variants in NDUFAF3 have been identified as a cause of severe multisystem mitochondrial disease. In a patient presenting with Leigh syndrome, which has hitherto not been described as a clinical feature of NDUFAF3 deficiency, we identified a novel homozygous variant and confirmed its pathogenicity in patient fibroblasts studies. Furthermore, we present an analysis of complex I assembly routes representative of each functional module and, thereby, link NDUFAF3 to a specific step in complex I assembly. Therefore, our report expands the phenotype of NDUFAF3 deficiency and further characterizes the role of NDUFAF3 in complex I biogenesis.
Human diploid fibroblasts (HDFs) cultured in vitro have limited capacity to proliferate after population doubling is repeated several times, and they enter into a state known as replicative senescence or cellular senescence. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Chlorella vulgaris on the replicative senescence of HDFs by determining the expression of senescence-associated genes. Young and senescent HDFs were divided into untreated control and C. vulgaris-treated groups. A senescence-associated gene transcription analysis was carried out with qRT-PCR. Treatment of young HDFs with C. vulgaris reduced the expression of SOD1, CAT and CCS (p