Functional consequences of mitochondrial DNA deletions in human skin fibroblasts: increased contractile strength in collagen lattices is due to oxidative stress-induced lysyl oxidase activity

Deletions within the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are thought to contribute to extrinsic skin aging. To study the translation of mtDNA deletions into functional and structural changes in the skin, we seeded human skin fibroblasts into collagen gels to generate dermal equivalents. These cells were either derived from Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) patients, who constitutively carry large amounts of the UV-inducible mitochondrial common deletion, or normal human volunteers. We found that KSS fibroblasts, in comparison with normal human fibroblasts, contracted the gels faster and more strongly, an effect that was dependent on reactive oxygen species. Gene expression and Western blot analysis revealed significant upregulation of lysyl oxidase (LOX) in KSS fibroblasts. Treatment with the specific LOX inhibitor -aminopropionitrile decreased the contraction difference between KSS and normal human fibroblast equivalents. Also, addition of the antioxidant N-tert-butyl--phenylnitrone reduced the contraction difference by inhibiting collagen gel contraction in KSS fibroblasts, and both -aminopropionitrile and N-tert-butyl--phenylnitrone diminished LOX activity. These data suggest a causal relationship between mtDNA deletions, reactive oxygen species production, and increased LOX activity that leads to increased contraction of collagen gels. Accordingly, increased LOX expression was also observed in vivo in photoaged human and mouse skin. Therefore, mtDNA deletions in human fibroblasts may lead to functional and structural alterations of the skin. (Am J Pathol 2009, 175:1019–1029; DOI: 10.2353/ajpath.2009.080832)