Safety and efficacy of a new hydrogel based on hyaluronic acid as cosmeceutical for xerosis.

BACKGROUND: Hyaluronic acid (HA) is among the most effective and safe ingredients frequently used in cosmetics. However, a more economical and efficient formulation is still required. OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the safety and efficacy of a novel hydrogel manufactured only by irradiation containing cross-linked HA and polyethylene glycol polymers with addition of polysiloxane. METHODS: The study included 30 people with normal skin and 30 patients with xerosis. In the normal skin group, to evaluate the safety, a patch test and a photopatch test were performed, and patients' discomfort was investigated. In those with xerosis, to assess the efficacy, a skin barrier function test was performed at baseline and at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after the application of the novel hydrogel. Additionally, the xerosis severity scale (XSS), patient satisfaction, Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA), and adverse responses were evaluated. RESULTS: In the safety study, there was no significant discomfort in the experimental group compared with the control group. In the efficacy study, at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after the application of the novel hydrogel, the mean value of skin hydration and sebum content increased and the mean value of XSS decreased with time in the experimental group, and a difference was observed when compared with the control group. IGA showed improvement in 97%, 77%, and 80% at each visit and the proportions of satisfied patients were 90%, 87%, and 90%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The novel HA-based hydrogel tested herein could be a safe and effective therapeutic remedy for xerosis.

Effect of cysteine-free human fibroblast growth factor-5s mutant (FGF5sC93S) on hair growth.

Treatment for hair loss is largely limited, and any beneficial effects are often transient. Based on the critical role of the FGF5 isoform, FGF5s, in the hair growth cycle, it may be a good therapeutic candidate for the prevention of hair loss, as well as the promotion of hair growth. To investigate its potential use for hair growth, a mutant form of the FGF5s protein (FGF5sC93S) was generated, expressed, and purified. The FGF5sC93S mutant was able to antagonize FGF5-induced mitogenic activity, which normally triggers the conversion of hair follicles from the anagen phase to the catagen phase. In addition, the FGF5sC93S mutant efficiently suppressed gene expression induced by FGF5 both human outer root sheath (hORS) and human dermal papilla (hDP) cells. Administration of FGF5sC93S proteins onto the scalps of human subjects significantly increased the total number of hairs at 24 weeks. Together, our data demonstrate that a mutant form of the FGF5s protein could be used as a potential hair promoting agent.

Antiaging and antioxidant effects of topical autophagy activator: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study.

BACKGROUND: Recently, potential roles of autophagy in skin homeostasis received many interests. But, little has been reported for the potential antiaging effects of autophagy activator. OBJECTIVE: With the newly synthesized autophagy activator, heptasodium hexacarboxymethyl dipeptide-12 (Aquatide™) in vitro and clinical efficacy of the topical autophagy activator as an antiaging cosmeceutical ingredient was evaluated. METHODS: Antioxidant effect of Aquatide™ was evaluated by radical scavenging assay. In vitro effect was assessed by measuring the cytotoxicity of hydrogen peroxide in cultured normal human epidermal keratinocytes. Clinical evaluation was performed by a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study. Antioxidant efficacy was observed by measuring the carbonylated proteins in stratum corneum (SC) by fluorescein-5-thiosemicarbazide (FTZ) staining. RESULTS: Radical scavenging effects of Aquatide were observed with the ABTS assay, and significant reduction in hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity was observed in Aquatide™-treated cells. Autophagy inhibitor treatment abrogated cytoprotective effects of Aquatide™. In a clinical study, statistically significant increase in skin elasticity was observed after 4 and 8 weeks. Quantitative analysis of carbonylated proteins in SC also showed significant reduction in Aquatide™-treated group, which is consistent with the in vitro data. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that autophagy plays important roles in antioxidant system and aging process in skin, and topical autophagy activators can be potential cosmeceutical ingredients for skin antiaging.

Possible Role of Single Stranded DNA Binding Protein 3 on Skin Hydration by Regulating Epidermal Differentiation.

BACKGROUND: Skin hydration is a common problem both in elderly and young people as dry skin may cause irritation, dermatological disorders, and wrinkles. While both genetic and environmental factors seem to influence skin hydration, thorough genetic studies on skin hydration have not yet been conducted. OBJECTIVE: We used a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to explore the genetic elements underlying skin hydration by regulating epidermal differentiation and skin barrier function. METHODS: A GWAS was conducted to investigate the genetic factors influencing skin hydration in 100 Korean females along with molecular studies of genes in human epidermal keratinocytes for functional study in vitro. RESULTS: Among several single nucleotide polymorphisms identified in GWAS, we focused on Single Stranded DNA Binding Protein 3 (SSBP3) which is associated with DNA replication and DNA damage repair. To better understand the role of SSBP3 in skin cells, we introduced a calcium-induced differentiation keratinocyte culture system model and found that SSBP3 was upregulated in keratinocytes in a differentiation dependent manner. When SSBP3 was overexpressed using a recombinant adenovirus, the expression of differentiation-related genes such as loricrin and involucrin was markedly increased. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results suggest that genetic variants in the intronic region of SSBP3 could be determinants in skin hydration of Korean females. SSBP3 represents a new candidate gene to evaluate the molecular basis of the hydration ability in individuals.

Erratum: Possible Role of Single Stranded DNA Binding Protein 3 on Skin Hydration by Regulating Epidermal Differentiation.

[This corrects the article on p. 432 in vol. 30, PMID: 30065583.].

Identification of a possible susceptibility locus for UVB-induced skin tanning phenotype in Korean females using genomewide association study.

A two-stage genomewide association (GWA) analysis was conducted to investigate the genetic factors influencing ultraviolet (UV)-induced skin pigmentation in Korean females after UV exposure. Previously, a GWA study evaluating ~500 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 99 Korean females identified eight SNPs that were highly associated with tanning ability. To confirm these associations, we genotyped the SNPs in an independent replication study (112 Korean females). We found that a novel SNP in the intron of the WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene yielded significant replicated associations with skin tanning ability (P-value = 1.16 × 10(-4) ). To understand the functional consequences of this locus located in the non-coding region, we investigated the role of WWOX in human melanocytes using a recombinant adenovirus expressing a microRNA specific for WWOX. Inhibition of WWOX expression significantly increased the expression and activity of tyrosinase in human melanocytes. Taken together, our results suggest that genetic variants in the intronic region of WWOX could be determinants in the UV-induced tanning ability of Korean females. WWOX represents a new candidate gene to evaluate the molecular basis of the UV-induced tanning ability in individuals.

Cardamonin suppresses melanogenesis by inhibition of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling.

Wnt/beta-catenin signaling plays important roles in many developmental processes, including neural crest-derived melanocyte development. Here we show that cardamonin, a calchone from Aplinia katsumadai Hayata, inhibited pigmentation in melanocytes through suppression of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. Cardamonin significantly suppressed the expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase, which are melanocyte differentiation-associated markers, in human normal melanocytes, thereby decreasing intracellular melanin production. In addition, cardamonin promoted the degradation of intracellular beta-catenin that was accumulated by Wnt3a-conditioned medium (Wnt3a CM) or bromoindirubin-3'-oxime (BIO), a glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) inhibitor, in HEK293 reporter cells and human normal melanocytes. Our findings indicate that cardamonin may be a potential whitening agent for use in cosmetics and in the medical treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders.

Improving lip wrinkles: lipstick-related image analysis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The appearance of lip wrinkles is problematic if it is adversely influenced by lipstick make-up causing incomplete color tone, spread phenomenon and pigment remnants. It is mandatory to develop an objective assessment method for lip wrinkle status by which the potential of wrinkle-improving products to lips can be screened. The present study is aimed at finding out the useful parameters from the image analysis of lip wrinkles that is affected by lipstick application. METHODS: The digital photograph image of lips before and after lipstick application was assessed from 20 female volunteers. Color tone was measured by Hue, Saturation and Intensity parameters, and time-related pigment spread was calculated by the area over vermilion border by image-analysis software (Image-Pro). The efficacy of wrinkle-improving lipstick containing asiaticoside was evaluated from 50 women by using subjective and objective methods including image analysis in a double-blind placebo-controlled fashion. RESULTS: The color tone and spread phenomenon after lipstick make-up were remarkably affected by lip wrinkles. The level of standard deviation by saturation value of image-analysis software was revealed as a good parameter for lip wrinkles. By using the lipstick containing asiaticoside for 8 weeks, the change of visual grading scores and replica analysis indicated the wrinkle-improving effect. As the depth and number of wrinkles were reduced, the lipstick make-up appearance by image analysis also improved significantly. CONCLUSION: The lip wrinkle pattern together with lipstick make-up can be evaluated by the image-analysis system in addition to traditional assessment methods. Thus, this evaluation system is expected to test the efficacy of wrinkle-reducing lipstick that was not described in previous dermatologic clinical studies.