Fine Lines, Wrinkles & Texture Research Update - P&G Beauty ...

Gene Chip Technology
One new technology that has been
developed as an outgrowth of the
sequencing of the human genome is
a gene-monitoring device known as
the gene chip. Th e gene chip’s versatile
technology has led to it being
used by researchers studying various
diseases including autism, bipolar
disease, cancer, diabetes and heart
disease. In addition to these applications,
the gene chip technology is
enabling P&G Beauty researchers to
understand the underlying biological
basis of changes seen on the skin surface,
including changes in fi ne lines
and wrinkles.
Th e chip itself has indicators that represent
genes comprising the human
genome. By placing fragments of
Tiled onto an Affymetrix gene chip are oligonucleatide
probes representing over 35,000 genes.This
technology has revolutionized genomics research
and is being used extensively by P&G Beauty
scientists.
fl uorescently-tagged samples isolated
from the skin onto the chip, scientists
can see which genes are expressed
within the sample and whether these
genes are up-regulated or down-regulated,
indicating specifi c molecular
events contributing to a given biological
process.
Advances in Preclinical
& Clinical Testing
Along the long road from molecular
to preclinical and fi nally clinical testing
at P&G Beauty, ingredients and
their subsequent product applications
must pass clear safety and effi -
cacy benchmarks before even being
considered for market introduction.
Beginning with testing on in vitro
skin equivalents and advancing to in
vivo effi cacy testing, these measurements
have elevated the legitimacy of
skin care science and the rigor upon
which skin care claims are made.
In vitro Human Skin Equivalents
Th e imperative for skin product
safety, combined with ethical, social
and political pressures, has fostered
improvements in alternatives for animal
testing. One of the leading technologies
that has been developed is
human skin equivalent culture models.
In recent years, advancements in
techniques have led to cultures that
mimic not only the epidermal layer
but also the dermal layer, allowing
these models to be used not only for
safety assessments22 but also to test
23, 24, 25
product effi cacy.
In vitro human skin equivalents reproduce many
cellular and structural elements of natural skin,
including the dermis, epidermis and melanocytes.
Human skin equivalent cultures receive nutrients
from the bottom of the culture. This facilitates
application of topical ingredients, both water
soluble and non-water soluble, on the top of the
culture.
Today’s human skin equivalents off er
multiple advantages over traditional
monolayer cultures:
• Can be used to test undiluted
materials (e.g., product formulations)
which is important because
not all materials are water-soluble
• Are able to show cell-to-cell
interaction between dermis and
epidermis
• Clinically relevant measures can
be performed (e.g., barrier eff ects
with TEWL, hydration)
Fine Lines, Wrinkles & Texture: Research Update 7