Restoration of stratum corneum with nacre lipids

Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol. 2006 Sep;145(1):1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2006.06.012. Epub 2006 Jun 30.

Abstract

To discover potential new products for the atopic dermatitis treatment, lipids extracted from nacre from the oyster Pinctada margaritifera were tested on artificially dehydrated skin explants. Expression of filaggrin and transglutaminase 1 was investigated after treatment of dehydrated skin with P. margaritifera lipid extracts according to light microscopy after labelling with specific monoclonal antibodies. The lipids were extracted from the nacre with methanol/chloroform mixture at room temperature and the extract composition was determined according to TLC and densitometry measures. Relative to the dry nacre material, a yield of extraction in lipids of 0.54% (w/w) was determined. Fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol and ceramides were in low abundance. Then, application of lipid formulations on skin explants previously dehydrated gave after 3 h an overexpression of filaggrin and a decrease of transglutaminase expression as shown by light microscopy. Using immunofluorescence labelling, we showed that lipids extracted from the mother of pearl of P. margaritifera induced a reconstitution of the intercellular cement of the stratum corneum. The signaling properties of the nacre lipids could be used for a development of new active product treatment against the symptoms of the dermatitis.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Densitometry
  • Epidermal Cells
  • Epidermis / drug effects*
  • Epidermis / metabolism
  • Filaggrin Proteins
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Intermediate Filament Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Lipids / isolation & purification
  • Lipids / pharmacology*
  • Pinctada / cytology
  • Pinctada / metabolism*
  • Transglutaminases / metabolism

Substances

  • Filaggrin Proteins
  • Intermediate Filament Proteins
  • Lipids
  • Transglutaminases
  • transglutaminase 1