All-trans retinoic acid (RA) stimulates events in organ-cultured human skin that underlie repair. Adult skin from sun-protected and sun-exposed sites responds in an identical manner to RA while neonatal foreskin responds differently.

Adult human skin from a sun-protected site (hip) and from a sun-exposed site (forearm) was maintained in organ culture for 12 d in the presence of a serum-free, growth factor-free basal medium. Cultures were incubated under conditions optimized for keratinocyte growth (i.e., in 0.15 mM extracellular Ca2+) or for fibroblast growth (i.e., in 1.4 mM extracellular Ca2+). Treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (RA) induced histological changes in the organ-cultured skin under both conditions which were similar to the changes seen in intact skin after topical application. These included expansion of the viable portion of the epidermis and activation of cells in the dermis. In sun-damaged skin samples, which were characterized by destruction of normal connective tissue elements and presence of thick, dark-staining elastotic fibers, a zone of healthy connective tissue could be seen immediately below the dermo-epidermal junction. This zone was more prominent in RA-treated organ cultures than in matched controls. Associated with these histological changes was an increase in overall protein and extracellular matrix synthesis. In concomitant studies, it was found that RA treatment enhanced survival and proliferation of adult keratinocytes and adult dermal fibroblasts under both low- and high-Ca2+ conditions. In all of these assays, responses of sun-protected and sun-exposed skin were identical. In contrast, responses of neonatal foreskin to RA were similar to those of adult skin in the presence of low-Ca2+ culture medium, but under conditions of high extracellular Ca2+ RA provided little or no additional stimulus. Together these studies suggest that the ability of RA to enhance repair of sun-damaged skin (documented in previous studies) may reflect its ability to influence the behavior of skin in a manner that is age dependent but independent of sun-exposure status.