Reduced expression of the adhesion protein tensin1 in cultured human dermal fibroblasts affects collagen gel contraction

As revealed by immunohistochemistry and RT-QPCR, the focal adhesion protein tensin1 is expressed in cultured human dermal fibroblasts and reduced by 60% after transfection with tensin1 siRNA. Tensin1 silenced fibroblast exhibited a strongly reduced capacity to contract collagen gels. Aged fibroblasts, generated with the Hayflick replicative senescence model, exhibit as siRNA silences fibroblasts, a reduced tensin1 expression and an impaired gel contraction capacity. Based on these results, we speculate that in human dermal fibroblasts, tensin1 plays an important role in cell-matrix interaction and that a reduced expression might contribute to the dermal alterations observed during skin ageing.