3-Deoxysappanchalcone Inhibits Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Induced Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression in Human Keratinocytes through Activated Protein-1 Inhibition and Nuclear Factor-Kappa B DNA Binding Activity

Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), which is a primary cytokine responsible for inflammatory responses in skin, induces the synthesis of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), which causes skin aging. The protective effects of 3-deoxysappanchalcone against TNF-α-induced damage was investigated using human skin keratinocytes. The results showed that 3-deoxysappanchalcone inhibited MMP-9 expression at the protein and mRNA level, by blocking the activation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Taken together, the inhibitory activity of 3-deoxysappanchalcone on MMP-9 expression and production in TNF-α-treated cells was found to be mediated by the suppression of AP-1 and NF-κB activation. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a well-known modulator of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) gene expression and it is a primary cytokine responsible for eliciting inflammatory responses in the skin. Chronic exposure of epidermal cells to TNF-α resulted in an unbalanced MMP production, which may further result in irreversible damage to the inflamed epidermis.