The recent discovery of a gene linked to an inherited skin condition called lipoid proteinosis could lead to new methods of combating aging skin, say researchers. According to study leader Professor John McGrath of King’s College London in the UK, the discovery will enable doctors to screen families to see if they are carriers of the disfiguring disease. However, it could also give scientists an insight into the physical changes that occur in normal skin aging, and may even lead to the development of ways to keep the skin looking youthful and wrinkle-free. McGrath and hiss colleagues believe that extracellular matrix protein (ECM), the protein produced by the gene, acts like a “biological glue” and holds other skin forming chemicals in shape. This raises the possibility that drugs which protect or boost ECM levels could help to keep the components of skin “stuck together” and thus prevent wrinkles. The researchers also suspect that ECM may have natural sunscreen properties.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.bbc.co.uk on the 1st April 2002
