CCN1 as an emerging key regulator in sensitive skin and skin aging: Mechanisms and therapeutic potential

Sensitive skin and skin aging share key features such as barrier damage, chronic inflammation, extracellular matrix (ECM) breakdown, and vascular changes. Recent studies have identified Cellular Communication Network Factor 1 (CCN1) as an important regulator in these processes. In this review, we summarize current understanding of CCN1 expression patterns and signaling mechanisms in skin biology and discuss how its upregulation, which is triggered by ultraviolet radiation, intrinsic aging, or environmental stress, can lead to barrier dysfunction, inflammation, collagen degradation, angiogenesis, cellular senescence, and pigmentation abnormalities. We emphasize that sustained CCN1 accumulation in the ECM perpetuates fibroblast activation and keratinocyte dysfunction, thereby contributing to persistent tissue damage. These findings highlight the critical role of CCN1 in regulating the skin microenvironment and intercellular communication and suggest it as a potential therapeutic target for preventing or treating sensitive skin and skin aging. Future strategies aimed at modulating CCN1 or its downstream pathways may help restore skin homeostasis and improve long-term skin health.