Review: ER stress in extrinsic skin aging and natural plant products
This abstract-only review links endoplasmic reticulum stress to extrinsic skin aging phenotypes and outlines natural plant products as potential interventions, without presenting new human outcome data. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The review links long-term UV, air pollution and other environmental stressors to extrinsic skin aging. [1]
Sustained unfolded protein response signaling may shift from protective to detrimental and is associated with skin aging features. [1]
Natural plant products are proposed to prevent or alleviate extrinsic skin aging by regulating ER stress and related processes. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Review (abstract only)
- Population / context
- Skin exposed to environmental stressors such as UV radiation and air pollution, as described in the review
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- October 7, 2026
Environmental stressors and ER stress in skin aging
The review describes extrinsic skin aging as caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation, air pollution and other environmental stressors. Its main visible features are said to include deep wrinkles, skin laxity, abnormal pigmentation, epidermal barrier dysfunction, chronic inflammation and telangiectasia (small dilated vessels). According to the abstract, recent research identifies endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) as an important stress mechanism in this process. Environmental stressors can activate ERS and trigger the unfolded protein response through reactive oxygen species, disrupted calcium balance and protein-folding defects.
Supporting source [1]
Protective then harmful unfolded protein response
The abstract states that the unfolded protein response initially acts protectively: it restores endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis by increasing protein-folding capacity, promoting ER-associated degradation and reducing global protein translation. Under persistent or severe stress, however, sustained signaling may shift from a homeostatic to a detrimental response. This shift is described as contributing to wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, epidermal barrier dysfunction, chronic inflammation and telangiectasia through increased oxidative stress, amplified inflammatory responses and induction of cellular senescence and apoptosis. These are described associations, not proven causes.
Supporting source [1]
Plant products proposed as ERS-targeting strategies
The abstract says growing evidence suggests that natural plant products can prevent or alleviate extrinsic skin aging by regulating ERS and related processes, including apoptosis, autophagy and oxidative stress. The review presents these as potential intervention strategies, not as established treatments. No study design, sample size, follow-up, measured human outcome or effect size is reported in the abstract. The full text was not reviewed, so details of the evidence and its limits remain unknown here.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. No study design, sample, follow-up, human outcome data or effect sizes are reported. Proposed plant-product strategies are not established treatments.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Liu Y, Huang H, Ji X, Li L, Ma L, Zhu M. · europepmc.org · October 7, 2026