Hairless Skin Research Articles

Transcriptome analysis reveals regulatory mechanism of postharvest softening in kiwiberry

BackgroundKiwiberry is an emerging edible fruit with market potential owing to its advantages of small size, thin and hairless skin, and sweet taste. However, kiwiberry is highly susceptible to softening after harvest, which poses a challenge for storage and transport. To reveal the underlying cause of kiwiberry softening, it is essential to investigate the characteristics of postharvest fruit and the molecular mechanisms that affect changes in fruit firmness.ResultsMorphological observations and analysis of physical parameters showed that the skin of kiwiberry did not change markedly from the 1st to the 7th day after harvest, while the colour of the inner pericarp gradually turned yellow. By the 9th day of room temperature storage, the kiwiberries began to rot. The hardness decreased rapidly from the 1st to the 5th day postharvest, reaching the low level on the 5th day. The starch and pectin contents of kiwiberry showed a downward trend with increasing storage time. Transcriptome sequencing and weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified 29 key genes associated with the changes in the hardness of kiwiberry after harvest. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis indicated that these 29 genes are mainly involved in pectin metabolism, starch synthesis, starch decomposition, and starch metabolism. In addition, three transcription factors, AGL31, HAT14, and ALC, were identified to be strongly positively correlated with the 29 genes that affect the hardness changes of kiwiberry after harvest, and 28 of the 29 key genes were predicted to be regulated by HAT14.ConclusionsThese results reveal the changes in morphological characteristics and physiological indicators during the postharvest ripening and softening of kiwiberry stored under room temperature conditions. Transcriptome analysis identified 29 key genes and three transcription factors that affect the firmness changes of postharvest kiwiberry. The results of this study thus provide insight into the transcriptional regulatory mechanism of kiwiberry softening during storage to improve the postharvest quality.

Dermal Papilla Cells: From Basic Research to Translational Applications.

As an appendage of the skin, hair protects against ultraviolet radiation and mechanical damage and regulates body temperature. It also reflects an individual's health status and serves as an important method of expressing personality. Hair loss and graying are significant psychosocial burdens for many people. Hair is produced from hair follicles, which are exclusively controlled by the dermal papilla (DP) at their base. The dermal papilla cells (DPCs) comprise a cluster of specialized mesenchymal cells that induce the formation of hair follicles during early embryonic development through interaction with epithelial precursor cells. They continue to regulate the growth cycle, color, size, and type of hair after the hair follicle matures by secreting various factors. DPCs possess stem cell characteristics and can be cultured and expanded in vitro. DPCs express numerous stemness-related factors, enabling them to be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using only two, or even one, Yamanaka factor. DPCs are an important source of skin-derived precursors (SKPs). When combined with epithelial stem cells, they can reconstitute skin and hair follicles, participating in the regeneration of the dermis, including the DP and dermal sheath. When implanted between the epidermis and dermis, DPCs can induce the formation of new hair follicles on hairless skin. Subcutaneous injection of DPCs and their exosomes can promote hair growth. This review summarizes the in vivo functions of the DP; highlights the potential of DPCs in cell therapy, particularly for the treatment of hair loss; and discusses the challenges and recent advances in the field, from basic research to translational applications.

Dual quantitative PCR assays for the rapid detection of Trichophyton indotineae from clinical samples.

Trichophyton indotineae is an emerging species of the Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex (TMC), responsible for an epidemic of widespread hairless skin infections that is frequently (50-70%) resistant to terbinafine. In order to initiate appropriate treatment as quickly as possible without waiting for culture positivity (10-15 days) and molecular identification from the strain, we developed a dual quantitative PCR (qPCR) for the direct detection of T. indotineae in clinical samples. We first designed a T. indotineae-specific qPCR assay (TI-qPCR) targeting a single specific polymorphism in the internal transcribed spacer region. Although none of the 94 non-dermatophyte and 7 dermatophyte species were amplified, this TI-qPCR allowed amplification of other TMC species at a lower yield. With equal amounts (0.1ng) of DNA per reaction, the mean quantitative cycle (Cq) values for T. indotineae and non-indotineae TMC were 27.9 (±0.1) and 38.9 (±0.3), respectively. Therefore, we normalized this assay against a previously validated pan-dermatophyte qPCR assay (PD-qPCR) and relied on the ΔCq [(TI-qPCR) - (PD-qPCR)] to identify T. indotineae versus other TMC species. Dual assay was validated using 86 clinical samples of culture-confirmed T. indotinea and 19 non-indotineae TMC cases. The mean ΔCq for non-indotineae TMC was 9.6±2.7, whereas the ΔCq for T. indotinea was -1.46±2.1 (P<.001). Setting the ΔCq at 4.5 as a cutoff value resulted in 100% specificity for the detection of T. indotineae. This dual qPCR assay quickly detects T. indotineae from skin scrapings, aiding in early diagnosis and treatment for patients with suspected infection.

The Dreaded 3-Minute Wait: Does It Really Prevent Operating Room Fires? The IGNITE Trial.

Operating room fires can have devastating consequences and as such must be prevented. There exists a paucity of literature requiring further elucidation regarding manufacturer recommendations of a predefined waiting period prior to patient draping after using alcohol-based surgical antiseptics, in order to reduce the risk of operating room fires. This was further investigated by exposing two common alcohol-based surgical antiseptics to electrosurgery and open flames at various power settings and time intervals in an ex vivo porcine model. The simulated surgical site was prepped following manufacturer recommendations and exposed to monopolar electrosurgery at low and high power, using both PURE CUT and COAGULATION modes, and open flame, at 15-s increments after application. While using PURE CUT mode at both low and high power, no ignition was observed on hairless surgical sites prepped with ChloraPrep® at any time point. However, use of COAGULATION mode at both low and high powers resulted in ignition consistently out to 1-min post-application. Additionally, if the prepped area subjectively appeared wet, especially with pooling of the antiseptic, both COAGULATION mode and open flame caused ignition. Dry time was found to be about 59 s for both prep solutions. It was also observed that the amount of pressure directly correlated with the amount of prep dispersed and increased dry times. In conclusion, our data suggest an average dry time of less than 1-min, with ignition only observed when the antiseptic was visibly wet. Ignition did not occur on hairless skin with electrocautery on CUT mode using ChloraPrep at any time point. Additionally, ignition on hair-bearing skin was not observed past 3 min, with current manufacturer recommendations stating 1 h wait time for hair-bearing skin. Arbitrarily waiting a specific predetermined dry time until patient draping, as recommended by the manufacturers, may be unnecessary and lead to hours' worth of time wasted each year. Ongoing research will further investigate the utility of drying the antiseptic after application and its affect on not only preventing ignition but also antimicrobial efficacy.

Two new species of parasitic demodecid mites in the European polecat Mustela putorius and their co-infestation with Miridex putorii (Acariformes: Demodecidae)

The biodiversity of parasitic mites of the Demodecidae, infesting mammalian carnivorans, is poorly understood. To date, 18 host-specific species have been described, including four each from domestic dogs and cats, and only 10 from wild carnivores, known from single or duplicate reports. No data is available on the level of infestation of wild populations, or the co-occurrence of different demodecids in the same host, as only single species have been identified in individual hosts. A convenient model for such studies turned out to be the European polecat Mustela putorius, in which a new genus and species, Miridex putorii, was recently described in the vibrissae region of the skin of the head. Our study reveals that M. putorii co-occur with other species: Demodex putorii sp. nov. (associated with the hairless skin of the head) and Demodex foetorii sp. nov. (associated with hairy skin). Thus, the present study provides descriptions of species new to science. It also provides the first analysis of the occurrence of Demodecidae in wild mammalian carnivorans at the species and individual animal level based on the co-occurrence of three demodecid mite species in the skin of the head in M. putorius. Demodecid mites were found in 75.7% of 37 polecats; M. putorii showed the highest prevalence (56.8%), and D. putorii showed the highest abundance in the skin (mean 10.8 mites in 9 cm2). The three species co-occurred in 5.4% of the polecats, and two species in 27.0%. Despite the very high abundances, infestation was not associated with gross skin pathology (a feature of stable parasite–host systems formed by long-term co-evolution). The co-occurrence of several species and the separation of microhabitats are also typical of Demodecidae of other mammalian groups and illustrate the optimal use of the host body as a habitat and food source with limited impact. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4D12FF6B-5A9E-4346-A496-52AC8448E7FE https://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/4D12FF6B-5A9E-4346-A496-52AC8448E7FE urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:07C533F5-9392-4FD3-BF9A-E1058C0FC1D6 https://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/07C533F5-9392-4FD3-BF9A-E1058C0FC1D6

Skin‐customized wearable device adhesive without skin damage

AbstractWearable medical devices are gaining popularity owing to their potential for seamless integration with the human body and long‐term monitoring of physiological activity. However, conventional adhesives were developed based on the assumption of healthy adult skin and may not account for variations in skin characteristics across different species, environments, and body parts. Consequently, the adhesive strength of wearable devices may significantly differ depending on the skin surface to which they are attached, potentially causing skin damage. In this study, we developed a customized wearable‐device adhesive without skin damage by analyzing the characteristics of the skin surface based on oil and water content and roughness according to different species and parts. Our findings demonstrated that increased root‐mean‐square roughness of the skin surface led to reduced contact area and decreased adhesion force between the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pad and skin surface. Surprisingly, hairless skin exhibited 1.5 times higher adhesion strength than hairy skin due to stronger molecular forces resulting from the higher surface energy of the skin. Additionally, the hole‐patterned PDMS pad on sweaty skin displayed improved adhesion properties compared to the cylinder‐patterned PDMS pad. Therefore, customized wearable adhesives provide an effective strategy for developing skin‐damage‐free wearable devices.

Identification of areas of the brain activated by active stimulation in hairless skin

In the past few decades, neuroscientists have studied the physiological basis of pleasant touch. Unmyelinated low-threshold mechanoreceptors are central to the study of the physiological basis of pleasant touch. Research on pleasant stimuli has mostly focused on passive stimuli, and the brain activation sites for active pleasant stimuli are not clear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify brain activation sites during active pleasant stimulation of hairless skin using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Forty-two healthy subjects aged 19 years or older were asked to actively grasp in five stimulus tasks. The comfort and sensations that occurred during the tasks were investigated using a questionnaire. Significant activation was found in the middle frontal gyrus when the hair ball and slime ball were grasped, while there was significant activation in the amygdala when grasping a squeeze ball compared to the tennis ball. In a questionnaire survey of the subjects, there was a significant difference in the comfort score between the tennis ball and the squeeze ball, but no significant correlation was found between the comfort scores and the brain sites of activation. Therefore, although active stimulation with the squeeze ball significantly activated the amygdala, it was not clear that the amygdala was significantly activated by active pleasant stimulation. In the future, it will be necessary to investigate the texture of the squeeze ball in more detail, and to increase the number of subjects for further study.

Hair follicle extraction combined with an expanded scalp flap for facial organ reconstruction

Use of scalp skin for facial organ reconstruction represents a mainstream procedure for organ reconstruction. In most cases, adequate amounts of skin can be obtained by using tissue expanders, but harvesting sufficient scalp tissue in patients with low hairlines is challenging. Hair follicular unit extraction (FUE) is one approach to resolve this problem. With FUE, hair follicles are removed from the scalp skin, which can then be prepared as a donor site to obtain sufficient amounts of hairless skin. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of FUE when combined with an expanded scalp flap for facial organ reconstruction. Patients with low hairlines requiring facial organ reconstruction were selected for this study. The area of skin extension and hair removal were determined prior to surgery, a process which was performed in three stages. Stage I consisted of hair follicle removal using the FUE technique at the donor site. Stage II involved expander implantation using water injections. In Stage III facial organ reconstruction was completed. With the use of the FUE technique, hair follicles from the donor scalp were thoroughly removed and the donor scalp tissue was successfully expanded. Postoperatively, no evident scar formation at the reconstruction site or contracture of the expanded flap was observed. All patients were satisfied with the outcome of their reconstruction procedure. FUE provides a means for hair follicle removal from the donor site and can be employed to achieve a safe and effective procedure for facial reconstruction in patients with low hairlines.

Cutaneous Candidiasis at the Avicenne Military Hospital in Marrakech: A Five-Year Assessment

Background: Candidiasis is a disease caused by yeasts of the genus Candida. They can be mucocutaneous or deep. The objective of this work is to describe the epidemiology of cutaneous candidiasis. Patients and Method: This retrospective study covers five years (01/2017 to 12/2021). It includes all superficial and deep samples sent to or taken from the mycology-parasitology laboratory of the Avicenne military hospital in Marrakech. Results: In our series, Candida onychomycosis was most common in women. The age group most affected by Candida onychomycosis was between 45 and 60. The majority of patients were outpatients. Onychomycoses were mainly found on the fingers. For epidermomycosis, the sex ratio was 1. No cases were affected by epidermomycosis in the 16 to 30 age group. Most patients with epidermomycosis were outpatients. Involvement of hairless skin accounted for 41.66% of all epidermomycosis diagnosed. For Candida otitis externa, the average age was 44.18 years. The sex ratio M/F was 0.75. Eleven patients were outpatients. The most frequently isolated species was Candida albicans. Conclusion: Candidiasis is an opportunistic infection favored by several factors. The Candida albicans species remains the most common cause of candidiasis, although non-albicans species are increasingly present with the emergence of new strains.

The good, the bald, and the hairy: A mechanosensor meets its fate at the target.

In this issue of Developmental Cell, Koutsioumpa etal. (2023) investigate the maturation of low-threshold mechanoreceptor nerve endings in both hairy and glabrous skin types and discover a critical role for target-derived BMP in the development of Meissner corpuscles in glabrous (i.e., hairless) skin.

Sex‐specific mercury levels in skin samples of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Isla 25 de Mayo (King George Island), Antarctic Peninsula

AbstractThe southern elephant seal (SES; Mirounga leonina) has a circumpolar distribution, breeding mainly on sub‐Antarctic islands and making long trips between breeding or molting and foraging areas. Most individuals from colonies in the South Shetland Islands (western Antarctic Peninsula; WAP) are distributed in Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA). Despite these protected habitats, pollutants can reach such remote areas far away from emission sources, affecting local fauna. To assess possible mercury (Hg) contamination in SES, we analyzed skin samples collected from free‐ranging molting individuals using the remote biopsy PAXARMS system in Isla 25 de Mayo/King George Island (62°15′S, 58°39′W; ASPA 132). Hairless skin samples were analyzed to determine total‐Hg (THg) concentrations, which ranged between 145 ng/g and 1,915 ng/g (M = 730, SD = 388 ng/g), showing significant differences between sexes, with adult‐females having higher concentrations (range = 306–1,915, M = 859, SD = 427 ng/g dw) than subadult‐males (range = 145–1,645, M = 629, SD = 329 ng/g dw). These differences may be explained mainly by feeding‐niche partitioning between sexes. Females prefer mesopelagic prey or prey associated with sea‐ice in the WAP, which are enriched in methylmercury. These results provide insight regarding Hg contamination in top Antarctic predators like SES, and the need to monitor for potential effects of Hg contamination in Antarctic marine mammals.

Skin-dependent morphological and molecular maturation of specialized mechanosensory neurons (S34.005)

<h3>Objective:</h3> Identification of the developmental steps leading to somatosensory neuron development. <h3>Background:</h3> Our sense of touch is essential for life and relies on Low-Threshold Mechanoreceptors (LTMRs). LTMR subtypes characterized by early embryonic expression of Ntrk2 (TrkB) and Ret exhibit distinct properties depending on the skin region they innervate - hairy skin or glabrous(hairless) skin. In glabrous skin, TrkB+ and Ret+ LTMRs form Meissner corpuscles, while in hairy skin they form longitudinal lanceolate endings around hair follicles. These morphological features reflect the physiological properties and specialized functions of these neurons. The developmental steps leading to glabrous and hairy skin LTMR properties are largely unknown, in particular whether they are genetically pre-specified or whether interactions with different target skin regions define their unique features. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> Sparse genetic labeling experiments demonstrate that morphological specialization of glabrous- and hairy paw skin-innervating TrkB+ and Ret+ LTMRs arise at nearly identical times during postnatal development. Interestingly, we find that individual neurons that terminate along the border of glabrous and hairy skin, termed “border neurons”, exhibit branches that form both lanceolate endings and Meissner corpuscle endings. Additionally, transcriptomic profiling and RNAscope experiments show that neonatal glabrous skin-and hairy skin-innervating TrkB+ and Ret+ neurons are transcriptionally similar, although distinct from other DRG neuron types. Lastly, using mouse mutants that have either ectopic glabrous skin or ectopic hairy skin we find that neurons that innervate ectopic skin regions of these mutants form ending types (either lanceolate or Meissner corpuscle endings) in accordance with the ectopic skin type. <h3>Results:</h3> These findings support a model in which embryonic TrkB+ and Ret+ LTMRs are able to form either Meissner corpuscle or lanceolate endings, and that the skin target region differentially instructs morphological maturation of these LTMR types. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> This model implies that neuronal identity in the peripheral nervous system is flexibly determined by target tissue. <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Koutsioumpa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Santiago has nothing to disclose. Miss Jacobs has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lehnert has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of Flagship Pioneering. Dr. Ginty has nothing to disclose.

PD12-11 URETHRAL COMPLICATIONS AFTER METOIDIOPLASTY WITH URETHRAL RECONSTRUCTION

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023PD12-11 URETHRAL COMPLICATIONS AFTER METOIDIOPLASTY WITH URETHRAL RECONSTRUCTION Marta Bizic, Marko Bencic, Borko Stojanovic, and Miroslav Djordjevic Marta BizicMarta Bizic More articles by this author , Marko BencicMarko Bencic More articles by this author , Borko StojanovicBorko Stojanovic More articles by this author , and Miroslav DjordjevicMiroslav Djordjevic More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003259.11AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Metoidioplasty represents a variant of phalloplasty for those transmen who require less invasive and one-stage genital affirmation surgery (GAS), which will provide male appearance of genitals with the ability of stand up voiding. METHODS: From February 2006 until January 2022, 967 transmen underwent metoidioplasty with urethral reconstruction in our institution. Urethroplasty technique depended on patients’ anatomy and availability of hairless genital skin: tubularization urethroplasty (95 cases), onlay flap urethroplasty with dorsal clitoral skin flap (12 cases), onlay flap urethroplasty with labia minora (LM) skin flap (34 cases), buccal mucosa graft (BMG) with clitoral skin flap urethroplasty (83 cases), BMG with LM skin flap (676 cases) and LM skin graft with clitoral skin/LM skin flap urethroplasty (67 cases). RESULTS: Follow-up ranged from 9 to 199 months (mean 102 months). During the follow-up period we monitored urethral complications and divided them into early and late. Early urethral complications occurred within a first month postoperatively in 131 patients (13.50%) and included: UTI (7 cases), spraying (34 cases), dribbling (42 cases) and urethral fistula (82 cases). Late urethral complications were present after first postoperative month in 103 patients (10.65%) and during the follow-up period and required further treatment and included: recurrent UTI (1 case), post void dribbling (10 cases), urethral fistula (87 cases), urethral stricture (17 cases), and inability to empty the bladder completely (2 cases). In our patients’ group between 1.76% and 2.79% had more than one early and between 1.03% and 1.24% had more than one late urethral complication. Regarding urethroplasty technique, complications mostly occurred in onlay flap urethroplasty with dorsal clitoral skin flap, while BMG with LM skin flap proved to be the most successful urethroplasty technique in our series. CONCLUSIONS: Metoidioplasty as a one-stage GAS is safe and viable and time-saving surgical approach that offers satisfactory functional outcomes with stand-up voiding in majority of transmen. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e404 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Marta Bizic More articles by this author Marko Bencic More articles by this author Borko Stojanovic More articles by this author Miroslav Djordjevic More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Why only a man turned out to be the owner of mind?

It is considered that the main distinguishing feature of Homo sapiens from other living beings is the presence of his mind. There are many hypotheses regarding the origin of the human mind. The complexity of the problem lies in the fact that it is impossible to experimentally test any of the existing hypotheses. Perhaps we will never fully know how the human mind arose, but it is necessary to strive for this. Here we discuss the possible causes of the origin of a large brain in modern man, implying that the mind is ultimately a product of the human brain. We believe that in order for such a large brain to arise, profound and possibly unique changes in the genome and in the human body had to occur, which did not take place in other higher primates. The role of the evolution of the karyotype and heterochromatin part of the genome in the immediate ancestors of Homo s. sapiens, which led to an increase in the level of heat conductivity of their bodies changed the existing mechanisms of thermoregulation and led to the appearance of hairless skin, which, together, led to a sharp increase in the size of the brain, with the ensuing consequences, is discussed. We believe that the increase of the human brain size was not the result of drastically changes of the structural genes. Most likely it was the consequence of more ordinary events, such as evolution of karyotype, constitutive heterochromatin in chromosomes, human body heat conductivity, skin and thermoregulation. An experimental test is proposed to test the hypothesis put forward.

Enhanced BMP signaling through ALK2 attenuates keratinocyte differentiation

Accumulated studies have suggested that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are critical for skin development. However, it remains elusive how BMP signaling via ALK2 (aka ACVR1), one of the important BMP type I receptors, regulates keratinocyte differentiation. To address this question, we utilized a genetic system that enhances BMP signaling via ALK2 in an epidermis-specific manner in mice (hereafter ca-Alk2:K14-Cre). Ca-Alk2:K14-Cre mice displayed a sticky and hairless skin phenotype with a thinner epidermis incapable of differentiating. Although cellular proliferation and survival were comparable between wild-type and ca-Alk2:K14-Cre mice, skin differentiation was severely hampered in ca-Alk2:K14-Cre mice. To uncover the mechanism of altered keratinocyte differentiation, we performed a transcriptome analysis. As a result, we found that the expression levels of cell cycle inhibitor p21 were increased in ca-Alk2:K14-Cre mice. Our findings suggest that aberrant BMP signaling via ALK2 positively regulates p21 expression that attenuates keratinocyte differentiation, and further highlights the critical role of BMP signaling in skin development.

Alpinia officinarum Rhizome ameliorates the UVB induced photoaging through attenuating the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK

BackgroundChronic ultraviolet (UV) exposure is one of the major external factors in skin aging, and repetitive UVB exposure induces extracellular matrix (ECM) damage as well as metabolic disease. Alpinia officinarum Rhizome (AOR) is a medicinal plant that has been traditionally used for treating rheumatism and whooping cough. However, the antiphotoaging effects of AOR remain unclear. We investigated the protective effects of water extracts of AOR (WEAOR) in terms of UVB-mediated ECM damage, wrinkle formation, inflammatory responses, and intracellular signaling on hairless mice and NIH-3T3 skin fibroblast cells.MethodsWEAOR was administered to UVB-irradiated hairless mice. Wrinkle formation was assessed using the replica assay, epidermal changes through H&E staining, and collagen contents in mice skin through Masson’s trichrome staining. The expression of procollagen type-1 (COL1A1), metalloproteinase-1a (MMP-1a), and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-3) in hairless mice skin and NIH-3T3 cells was investigated through qRT-PCR. The effects of WEAOR or signaling inhibitors on UVB-induced expression of intracellular mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were estimated by Western blotting and qRT-PCR, respectively.ResultsTopical WEAOR significantly attenuated the UVB-induced wrinkle formation and epidermal thickening in the skin of hairless mice. WEAOR treatment also attenuated the UVB-induced expression of MMP-1a and COL1A1 and recovered the reduction of collagen content in mouse skin. These effects were confirmed in NIH-3T3 skin fibroblast cells. WEAOR treatment restored the UVB-induced COL1A1 and MMP-1a gene expression and attenuated the UVB-induced expression of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-3 in NIH-3T3 cells. Notably, WEAOR attenuated UVB-induced phosphorylation of AKT and ERK, but not that of p38 and JNK in NIH-3T3 cells. In addition, the administration of AKT and ERK inhibitors restored the UVB-induced expression of MMP-1a and COL1A1 to an equal extent as WEAOR in NIH-3T3 cells.ConclusionsThe antiphotoaging properties of WEAOR were first evaluated in this study. Our results suggest that WEAOR may be a potential antiphotoaging agent that ameliorates UVB-induced photoaging processes via the AKT and ERK signaling pathways.

Components Analysis of Bioactive Essential Oil Combinations (Lavender, Lemon, and Cinnamon) by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and their Activities against In Vitro Photoaging on Hairless Rat Dorsal Skin

The essential oil of lavender, lemon, and cinnamon (LaLC) combination is rich in antioxidants and potentially be used as an anti-wrinkle and strengthens the collagen tissue. Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation is a free radical source that accelerates the aging process and reduces collagen production. This study aims to characterize the chemical components of each oil and determine the best combination as an anti-wrinkle substance. The test was conducted on twenty-four Wistar male rats (Mus musculus) that were divided into six experimental groups consisting of the normal (N), control (C), vehicle control (V), first treatment (T1), second treatment (T2), and third treatment (T3) groups. Each sample was rubbed upon, and the UVB irradiation was administered frequently to each subject. The embedded skin specimen was analyzed using a digital-capable microscope. Data were analyzed through the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the post-hoc Tukey's Honest Significant Difference test. Lavender, lemon, and cinnamon essential oils contained each most significant component, which was linalool (41.46% peak area), dl limonene (44.74% peak area), and 2-propenal, 3-phenyl- (CAS) (53.89% peak area), respectively according to the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The T1 showed the best score of all parameters and did not show significant significance compared to the N group. In conclusion, the 1:1:3 combination of LaLC is better in preventing in vitro photoaging than other treatment groups.

745 Regional expression of secreted WNT inhibitors dictates formation of hairless and poorly haired skin

Different regions of mammalian skin vary in characteristics such as thickness, and hair follicle and sweat gland presence, size and density, that are reflected in differential responses to injury and disease. Positional information resides in the upper dermis but the responsible molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. To uncover these, we carried out comparative scRNA-seq of mouse embryonic dorsal, ear and plantar skin. This revealed differential regional expression of several secreted Wnt inhibitors, including Dkk2 and Sostdc1, suggesting regional modulation of Wnt signaling as an important mechanism controlling skin heterogeneity. In line with this, we showed previously that Dkk2-null mice develop regenerative hair follicles in normally hairless plantar skin. However, hair follicles in other regions had normal density and size. Loss of Sostdc1 is known to cause ectopic hair formation in nipple skin, extra vibrissae, and larger hair follicle placodes in trunk skin. We hypothesized that Dkk2 and Sostdc1 function partially redundantly to control additional regional skin features. To test this, we generated mice lacking both inhibitors. Double mutants displayed elevated Wnt signaling in embryonic plantar and ear skin, increased formation of plantar hair compared with Dkk2 single mutants, and growth of abnormally dense, long, thick hair on the external ears. Thus, regional modulation of Wnt signaling controls both the formation of hairless versus hairy skin, and the size and density of hair follicles in haired skin. These data support a new paradigm in which, rather than being dictated by an activating dermal signal as postulated in classical models, hair follicle formation is a default pathway that is actively suppressed by secreted inhibitors in skin regions that lack hair follicles or are poorly haired.

Tea Tree Oil Nanoemulsion-Based Hydrogel Vehicle for Enhancing Topical Delivery of Neomycin.

The present investigation aims to improve the antimicrobial influence of certain antibacterial drugs, namely, neomycin (NEO), exploiting the benefits of natural oils such as tea tree oil (TTO). Therefore, a distinctive nanolipid formulation, namely, a nanoemulsion (NE), was developed using a Central Composite Factorial Design (CCD) approach depending on the amount of TTO and tween 80 as surfactant. The optimized NEO-NE formula exhibiting minimum globular size and maximum in vitro release was selected. For efficient topical delivery, NEO-NE was incorporated into a pre-formulated hydrogel. The developed NEO-NE-hydrogel was characterized by its physical characteristics such as pH, viscosity, and spreadability. Next, it was tested for stability under different conditions for 3 months. Ultimately, an irritation test was conducted followed by an antibacterial examination. The preparation demonstrated acceptable properties to be successfully applied topically. It showed non-significant changes in stability in both conditions up to 3 months storage when compared to a fresh preparation. It exhibited no irritation when applied on hairless animal skin. Finally, TTO revealed a good inhibition for the bacterial growth that could improve the influence of NEO antibacterial activity, indicating the efficiency of NE containing NEO prepared with TTO to be a promising antibacterial nanocarrier.

Selective Expansion of Tregs Using the IL-2 Cytokine Antibody Complex Does Not Reverse Established Alopecia Areata in C3H/HeJ Mice.

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease mediated by NKG2D-expressing cytotoxic T lymphocytes destroying hair follicles in the skin. It is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, but there is no effective treatment modality approved by the FDA. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are crucial for suppressing autoreactive T cells, and in the skin, they promote hair growth by inducing anagen. Based on this, we tested the therapeutic potential of expanded Tregs in AA using the C3H/HeJ mouse model. In mice with AA, NKG2D-expressing CD8 T cells widely infiltrate both haired and hairless skin areas, which have tissue-resident memory T-cell phenotypes. Tregs in the skin express CD25, CTLA-4, GATA-3, and Jagged1 and efficiently proliferate with IL-2 cytokine antibody complex. However, expanding Tregs in the skin did not induce anagen in normal mice, indicating that they are necessary but not sufficient for anagen induction. Also, they fail to suppress autoreactive CD8 T cells in the skin to reverse established AA in C3H/HeJ mice. These results suggest that Treg expansion alone is not sufficient for AA treatment, and combined immunotherapy is required.