This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (42)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

A Possible Mechanism

Sheldon R. Pinnell, MD; Saood Murad, PhD; Douglas Darr, PhD

Arch Dermatol. 1987;123(12):1684-1686.

Abstract
• L-Ascorbic acid stimulates procollagen synthesis in cultured human skin fibroblasts without appreciably altering noncollagen protein synthesis. The effect is unrelated to intracellular degradation of newly synthesized procollagen. Levels of mRNA for pro ₁(I), pro ₂(I), and pro ₁(III), measured by hybridization with the corresponding cDNA probes, are elevated in the presence of ascorbic acid, whereas the level of mRNA for fibronectin is unchanged. Levels of functional mRNA for procollagen, measured in a cell-free translation assay, are specifically increased in the presence of ascorbic acid. Thus, ascorbic acid appears to control the expression of three different procollagen genes, each of which is located on a separate chromosome. It is proposed that intracellularly accumulated procollagen in ascorbate deficiency may lead to a translational repression of procollagen synthesis. Ascorbic acid may relieve this block by promoting hydroxyproline formation and, consequently, secretion of procollagen from the cell. The increased level of procollagen mRNA under the influence of ascorbic acid may be secondary to increased synthesis of procollagen polypeptides; the control point may be gene transcription or mRNA degradation.

(Arch Dermatol 1987;123:1684-1686)

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication July 16, 1987.

Read before the 36th annual Symposium on the Biology of Skin ("Molecular Basis of Nutritional Dermatoses"), Salishan Lodge, Gleneden Beach, Ore, Oct 19,1986.

Reprints not available.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Molecular Effects of Photodynamic Therapy for Photoaging
Orringer et al.
Arch Dermatol 2008;144:1296-1302.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Use of Topical Ascorbic Acid and Its Effects on Photodamaged Skin Topography
Traikovich
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1999;125:1091-1098.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Follicular Purpuric Macules of the Extremities
Wirth and Kalb
Arch Dermatol 1990;126:385-386.
ABSTRACT