During the 81st Annual Meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID), held May 15-18, 2024, in Dallas, Texas, several Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (ELC) (NYSE: EL) brands presented basic science and clinical findings on topics including the skin barrier, glycation, circadian cycle, collagen boosting, sensitive skin and more.
"Since our founding, The Estée Lauder Companies has been pioneering skin science," said Nadine Pernodet, Ph.D., senior vice president of bioscience and advanced technology pioneering at ELC. "In a landscape of ever-evolving insights and breakthroughs from the scientific and dermatological realms, the significance of skin care science has never been greater."
Key findings presented include the following.
Self-assembling Peptides, Penetration and Barrier Strengthening
Elham Tavasoli, Ph.D., associate director of advanced technology pioneering, ELC, reported this first use of 3D OrbiSIMS and SRS to identify, track and demonstrate the hierarchical assembly of cosmetic self-assembling peptides (SAPs) during skin permeation and their effect on skin mechanics. Per Tavasoli, the researchers investigated the ability of the well-known palmitoyl-pentapeptide-4 (PPP-4) and palmitoyl-hexapeptide-12 (PHP-12) to diffuse, penetrate and co-assemble in human skin. SAPs were shown to co-assemble into stable hydrogels when placed in contact with solutions of ECM components and chemical-specific imaging revealed skin barrier strengthening and increased water retention after SAP treatment.
BHT and Vitamins E and C as Antioxidant and Anti-glycation Molecules in Skin Models
Nora Ruth, principal scientist, advanced technology pioneering, ELC, showed how topical treatment with antioxidants can inhibit glycation in skin models, and that synergy between modulation of oxidative stress and glycation prevention is dependent on the specific concentration and antioxidant power of the individual molecules. "This detailed understanding can inform fine-tuned approaches to formulating with active ingredients tailored to personalized skin care," the company reported.
Effect of miRNA-146a Levels on Circadian Rhythm, Repair and Damaging Factors; Plus Exosomal Transport
Klodjan Stafa, Ph.D., associate director of advanced technology pioneering at ELC, found that the loss of miR-146a in skin cells contributes to the aging process, resulting in a loss of synchronization with circadian rhythm, repair efficiency as well as protein production and cellular proliferation with an increase of damaging factors such as inflammatory mediators and MMPs. "Treatment with an Adansonia digitata extract re-established a miR-146a level closer to young skin cells and helped mature skin cells to recover key activities to repair and rebuild a strong skin," the company reported.
"In addition, due to its exosomal transport, miR-146a will be able to move from one cell to another to amplify this positive benefit," the company continued. "These findings support that miR-146a is a key mediator of biological pathways related to fighting aging in skin cells; particularly associated with circadian rhythm, inflammation and skin cell communication, damage repair and proliferation."
Cellular Synchronization for Skin Health and Integrity
Nadine Pernodet, Ph.D., senior vice president of bioscience and advanced technology pioneering and lead scientist of ELC, explained how, at a cellular level, synchronization and temporal rhythm are critical factors for maintaining a healthy and homeostatic balance in skin. "After treatment with tripeptide-32, cells are resynchronized, therefore able to resist damage and increase repair/recovery to stay healthy," the company reported, adding, "night is the natural time for skin to repair and recover, ultimately optimizing youthfulness."
Nrf-2 Technology + Collagen Boosters to Rebuild Youthful Skin
Jacqueline Trivero, associate director for advanced technology pioneering at ELC described how more than three decades of research have led to the development of a specific blend of peptides, algae extract and whey protein that significantly boosts collagen in human dermal fibroblasts. "Adding an Nrf-2 activator to these collagen boosters further enhances production, particularly increasing types I, III and V collagen, crucial for skin integrity," the company reported. This potent combination is said to help mature skin cells rebuild and rejuvenate their structure, leading to stronger, more efficient cells and visibly younger-looking skin.
Macrocystis pyrifera Ferment to Reduce Inflammatory Mediators
Expanding from previous work, Jaime Emmetsberger, Ph.D., director of advanced technology pioneering and lead scientist of Max Huber Research Laboratories, presented preclinical studies on human skin showing that topical application of Macrocystis pyrifera ferment (MPF) for 24 hr significantly lowered the expression of several inflammatory mediators (e.g., IL1B, IL6, CXCL8, IL33) and matrix metalloproteinases.
"MPF impacts the sensory neurons' (SNs) inflammatory responses," the company explained. "In vitro co-culture experiments demonstrated that MPF, following capsaicin stimulation, notably reduced the release of inflammatory neuropeptides and cytokines such as CGRP, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and MCP-1 within 24 hr." The reduction in inflammatory mediators led to clinical testing using a multi-ingredient cream containing MPF. It significantly diminished the sensory perception of irritants in a lactic acid sting test, suggesting that MPF helped to mitigate SN activity and decrease irritation.
Validated Questionnaire + Lactic Acid Sting Test to Evaluate Product Efficacy on Sensitive Skin
Finally, Qihong Zhang, Ph.D., principal scientist of research and development clinical testing at ELC, built on previous research showing that lactic acid sting test scores are positively correlated with Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) in subjects with self-perceived sensitive skin. A new cohort study explored the feasibility of using a combination of a validated questionnaire and a lactic acid sting test (LAST) to separate sensitive skin (SS) from non-sensitive skin (NSS) subjects and investigate the corresponding differences in biophysical properties in an Asian population. Efficacy validation of a lipid-rich matrix system (LRMS) that can normalize SS to NSS conditions was also assessed. "The SS questionnaire, together with LAST, demonstrated segmentation of a sub-set of SS subjects with disrupted barriers in an Asian population. The LRMS also showed it can alleviate some sensitive skin symptoms and help to normalize skin conditions," the company reported.
