Particulate matter (PM) is known to have a harmful effect on human health. Several studies have demonstrated that oxidative is involved in PM-induced pigmentation, and our previous study suggested that PM promotes melanin production via ER-mediated IRE1α signaling pathway. However, the mechanisms by which PM affect skin have not yet been clarified. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mechanism involved in PM effects, ex vivo human skin tissue exposure to PM via single cell RNA sequencing. We performed high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) using ex vivo human skin tissues with or without PM exposure to screen out candidate molecules affecting skin aging in each skin cell type. Through R-based bioinformatic analysis, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were evaluated in each cell type. In particular, we tried to investigate the functions of interleukin-24 (IL-24), which were selected to show shared expression patterns in both keratinocytes and fibroblasts. We identified previously undefined several soluble and intracellular factors which affect skin aging phenotypes and we are now undergoing functional studies to identify the role of IL-24 in skin aging in the aspect of collagen synthesis based on known roles of IL-24 from previous literatures. This study shows that PM-induced IL-24 regulates the expression of MMP1 and dermal collagen. In conclusion, we believe our data provide important insights into the pathogenesis of PM-induced skin aging and the results of our study could be utilized to develop future therapeutic target against PM-induced aging.

LB020 - A study about mechanism of skin aging caused by particulate matters via single cell RNA sequencing

The scientific meeting of the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR) is held yearly, usually in September. With an international attendance of more than 1000 skin scientists from around the globe, the four-day event includes short oral presentations from peer-reviewed abstracts, keynote lectures from international experts, sponsored symposia, satellite programs, educational events as well as an important focus on posters, networking and building collaborations amongst scientists. For more information about this year’s meeting visit our website.