Patent ID: 8455518

Claim:
A method for improving the aesthetic appearance of human skin comprising topically applying to an area of the skin in need thereof an effective amount of an active agent that suppresses miR-29a, having the sequence UAGCACCAUCUGAAAUCGGUUA (SEQ. ID. No.: 1), and/or miR-29b, having the sequence UAGCACCAUUUGAAAUCAGUGUU (SEQ. ID No.: 2), in a cosmetically acceptable vehicle, for a time sufficient to enhance the production of collagen, elastin, and/or fibrillin in the skin, wherein said active agent is a compound having the structure of formula I: where: R 1 and R 2 are independently hydrogen, —R, or —C(═O)R*, wherein R 1 and R 2 may together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a three to six-membered ring; R 3 is selected from hydrogen, —R, —OR*, —SR*, and —N(R N )(R*); R 4 and R 5 are independently selected at each occurrence from hydrogen; —R; or X 1 ; and wherein any two adjacent groups R 5 may form a five- or six-membered ring fused to the benzene ring to which they are attached; R 6 is hydrogen, —R, or —C(═O)R*; R, R*, and R N are independently hydrogen or a C 1-20 hydrocarbon radical; wherein said C 1-20 hydrocarbon radical may optionally be substituted with a group X 1 and/or with from one to twelve heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur; X 1 is selected from the group consisting of —F; —Cl; —Br; —I; —OH; —C≡C—R*; —C≡N; —C(R)═N—R N ; —C═N—N(R N ) 2 ; —C(═NR N )—N(R N ) 2 ; —CH 2 OH; —CHO; —(C═O)—R*; —CO 2 H; —CO 2 − ; —CO 2 R*; —CS 2 R*; —(C═O)—S—R*; —S—(C═O)—R*; —(C═O)—NH 2 ; —(C═O)—NR N R N ; —(C═O)—NHNH 2 ; —O—(C═O)—NHNH 2 ; —(C═S)—NH 2 ; —(C═S)—N(R N ) 2 ; —O—(C═O)—H; —O—(C═O)—R*; —O—(C═O)—NH 2 ; —O—(C═O)—NR N R N ; —OR*; —SR*; —NH 2 ; —NHR N ; —NR N 2 ; —N(R N ) 3 + ; —N(R N )—OH; —N(→O)(R*) 2 ; —O—N(R N ) 2 ; —N(R N )—O—R*; —N(R N )—N(R N ) 2 ; —NR N —(C═O)—R*; —NR N C(═O)O—R*; —NR N —CHO; —NR N —(C═O)—R*; —NR N C(═O)NR N ; —N(R N )—C(═O)—N(R N ) 2 ; —N(R N )—C(═S)—N(R N ) 2 ; —N═C(R*) 2 ; —N═N—R N ; —SCN; —NCS; —NSO; —SS—R*; —SO—R*; —SO 2 —R*; —O—S(═O) 2 —R*; —S(═O) 2 OR*; —N(R N )—SO 2 —R*; —SO 2 —N(R*) 2 ; —O—SO 3 − ; —O—S(═O) 2 —OR*; —O—S(═O)—OR*; —O—S(═O)—R*; —S(═O)—OR*; —S(═O)—R*; —NO; —NO 2 ; —NO 3 ; —O—NO; —O—NO 2 ; —N 3 ; —N 2 ; —N(C 2 H 4 ); —Si(R*) 3 ; —CF 3 ; —O—CF 3 ; —(C═O)—R*; —P(R*) 2 ; —O—P(═O)(OR*) 2 ; and —P(═O)(OR*) 2 ; “n” is an integer from 0 to 3, and, in the case where “n” is 2 or 3, R 5 is independently selected at each occurrence; and cosmetically acceptable acid addition salts thereof.