Wrinkled skin and hair loss: two symptoms of old age that we all fear. We fear them so much, in fact, that the global anti-aging market is expected to jump from $250 billion in 2016 to $331.41 billion by 2021.

But fear not! A new study from researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) suggests that it may be possible to quite literally reverse age-associated wrinkled skin and hair loss.

The research team, led by Keshav Singh, a professor of genetics in UAB’s School of Medicine, effectively induced — and then reversed — the development of wrinkled skin and hair loss in mice.

Singh said that the study will lead to the development of drugs that can slow down or reverse age-associated wrinkles and hair loss.

The research paper is published in the Nature online journal Cell Death & Disease.

Co-authors on the paper are Bhupendra Singh, Trenton R. Schoeb, and Prachi Bajpai of the UAB Department of Genetics, as well as Andrzej Slomisnki of the UAB Department of Dermatology.

The study

In experiments, when a genetic mutation that causes mitochondrial dysfunction was activated in test mice, those mice developed wrinkled skin and hair loss within just weeks. Conversely, when this genetic mutation was reversed, these effects were reversed.

The same mouse recovered its smooth skin and thick fur.

Mitochondria, organelles found in most cells, are responsible for the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production. They produce approximately 90 percent of the chemical energy that cells use to survive.

The researchers induced mitochondrial dysfunction in the mice by adding the antibiotic doxycycline to its food or drinking water. This antibiotic deactivates an enzyme involved in replicating mitochondrial DNA, resulting in the depletion of mitochondrial DNA content.

“Decline in mitochondrial DNA content and mitochondrial function has been observed in aging humans,” said Singh.

“We created a mouse model to mimic those conditions to show that decline in mitochondrial function leads to development of wrinkles and loss of hair.

“The main finding is that by restoring mitochondrial function we can reverse skin wrinkles to normal healthy skin and also regain hair growth.”

In a statement, Singh described this observation as “unprecedented” and “surprising.”

He told TUN that his team expected a significant impact on the heart lung and brain, tissues that require high energy. They did not expect such a significant effect on skin and hair.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is related not only to age-associated effects on hair and skin, but also to a number of age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, human mitochondrial diseases, diabetes, age-related neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, and cancer.

Yet, in these experiments, the most significant changes were observed in the skin and hair.

In the wrinkled skin of the affected mice, the researchers found increased numbers of skin cells, an abnormal thickening of the skin’s outer layer, dysfunctional hair follicles, and increased inflammation. These observed effects were similar to the effects of extrinsic aging — aging symptoms caused by external factors such as smoking or excess sun.

They also observed symptoms consistent with intrinsic aging — the natural aging process — including the changed expression of four aging-associated markers in cells.

Implications

There were few changes to other organs, but Singh said that the mouse model developed in their laboratory will help address both primary mitochondrial diseases like mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome and secondary age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

Singh is also hopeful that their research will lead to the development of drugs that can help fight against age-related wrinkles and hair loss. The team is already working on developing agents that can restore mitochondrial function in aging individuals, so that wrinkles don’t develop and hair loss is prevented.

“The implications are huge as everyone develops wrinkles and most of us lose hair. So, any agent or drug that can slow down or reverse this will have a major impact,” he said.

Singh associates the reversal phenomenon to Kaya Kalpa, a set of anti-aging therapies originating in India.

“In Vedic literature, ‘Kaya’ is described as body and ‘Kalpa’ as transformation,” said Singh.

“Kaya Kalpa is a set of therapies that can reverse the physical degeneration caused by age. The therapies can transform old cells to new again. Kaya Kalpa is a true science of ‘rejuvenation.’ ”