Gattefossé and Ambiotis investigate skin ageing inflammation

11-May-2018 - Last updated on 11-May-2018 at 11:11 GMT

Gattefossé and Ambiotis have carried out a joint investigation into the muted, asymptomatic and chronic inflammation related to skin ageing.

The investigation aimed to unravel the underlying mechanisms leading to non-resolving inflammation.

Gattefossé, a specialty ingredients player, and Ambiotis, an expert testing lab, worked together to create a skin explant model and monitor its response to inflammation.

A skin explant model was developed in vitro by Gattefossé to simulate the natural triggering of skin inflammation and its subsequent regulation.

Using its thorough expertise in metabololipidomic profiling, Ambiotis developed and validated a LC-MS/MS method to monitor the response to inflammation of skin explants and their ability to initiate resolution programs.

Why study inflammation?

Inflammation is a major concern in dermatology and for skin health, suggest the two companies.

Daily stress, lack of sleep, improper diet, pollution, sun exposure and even ageing can all trigger a lowgrade inflammation in the skin.

Inflammation is a natural system of defense against external and internal aggressions.

When correctly controlled, inflammation leads to a complete return to tissue equilibrium. However, a default in inflammation resolution pathways may directly impact both appearance and beauty of the skin.

Gattefossé and Ambiotis now share technology, expertise and know-how to explore the mechanisms of skin inflammation resolution during ageing.

Findings of the research

Skin produces bioactive mediators that regulate induction, propagation and resolution of inflammation.

Specialized Pro-resolving lipid Mediators (SPMs) are of special importance for an effective resolution of inflammation. Ambiotis and Gattefossé found out that endogenous resolution programs of inflammation were defective in aged skin.

Both the dysregulation of lipid pathways and the absence of pro-resolving mediators (e.g. lipoxins) likely lead to an unresolved inflammation in aged skin.

“By performing metabololipidomic profiling of young vs. old skins, followed by a statistical approach using principal component analysis, we have been able to identify the defective elements responsible for unresolved inflammation in aged skins,” explains Skin Biology Research Manager at Gattefossé, Nicolas Bechetoille.

“Our research highlights the need of a new strategy to develop anti-inflammatory molecules, rather focused on boosting resolution than on decreasing inflammation.”