Umbilical Cord Blood Plasma Enhances Cellular Repair and Senescence Suppression in Human Dermal Fibroblasts Under Oxidative Stress

Rejuvenation Res. 2025 Aug;28(4):195-204. doi: 10.1089/rej.2024.0085. Epub 2025 May 2.

Abstract

Aging is associated with a gradual decline in cellular function, largely driven by oxidative stress, which leads to cellular senescence. These processes contribute to tissue degeneration and age-related dysfunction. Human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs), critical for maintaining skin structure, are highly vulnerable to oxidative damage, making them key contributors to skin aging. Umbilical cord blood plasma (UCBP), rich in growth factors and regenerative molecules, has shown potential in preventing cellular senescence and addressing key mechanisms of tissue aging. Based on findings from heterochronic parabiosis experiments that demonstrated the rejuvenating effect of young blood, we investigated the effects of UCBP on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induced oxidative stress in HDFs and compared its efficacy with adult blood plasma (ABP). Our results indicate that although both UCBP and ABP reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS), UCBP is more effective in suppressing cellular senescence and maintaining fibroblast proliferation. These findings suggest that UCBP's protective effects extend beyond ROS reduction, potentially by modulating the senescence-associated secretory phenotype and the enhancement of tissue repair mechanisms.

Keywords: cellular senescence; fibroblast proliferation; oxidative stress; umbilical cord blood plasma.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cellular Senescence* / drug effects
  • Dermis* / cytology
  • Fetal Blood* / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts* / cytology
  • Fibroblasts* / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts* / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / pharmacology
  • Oxidative Stress* / drug effects
  • Plasma* / metabolism
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Skin* / cytology

Substances

  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Hydrogen Peroxide