Background: The dermis is composed of a tangle of macromolecules that provides the skin its biomechanical properties. During chronological aging, fibroblasts lose their ability to synthesize collagen and an accumulation of matrix metalloproteinases leads to an increase in collagen degradation. As a result, there is a decline in the biomechanical properties of the skin. Skin aging is accelerated by external factors such as UV radiation and pollution, which induce accumulation of oxidants, and so of oxidized proteins in the skin.
Aims: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has emerged as an alternative method for studying the biomechanical properties of skin cells and tissues.
Methods/results: Thus, we identified mannose-6-phosphate complex as a new powerful molecule capable of reversing the visible signs of aging by reorganizing the collagen network of the dermis and by improving the skin biomechanical properties. This effect was correlated with clinical studies that showed a marked antiaging effect through a reduction in the number of crow's feet and in the depth and size of neck wrinkles.
Conclusion: Mannose-6-phosphate complex appeared to be able to protect proteins in the dermis scaffold against oxidation and degradation, allowing an improvement in the skin biomechanical properties.
Keywords: Skin biomechanical properties; anti-aging; atomic force microscopy; mannose-6-phosphate complex.
© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.