Anti-Aging and Depigmentation Effect of a Hyaluronic Acid Mechanically Stabilized Complex on Human Skin Explants

Abstract

Solar radiation and environmental pollutants are factors that cause changes in the skin that trigger skin aging. The objective of the study is to evaluate the rejuvenating effects of a complex formed by hyaluronic acid supplemented with vitamins, amino acids and oligopeptides in explants of human skin. For this, surplus skin samples have been obtained from donors that have been resected and cultivated on slides with membrane inserts. The complex was administered to some skin explants and the percentage of cells with low, medium and high levels of melanin was evaluated as an indicator of the degree of pigmentation. Other skin segments were irradiated with UVA/UVB, then the product was administered on several slides and the levels of collagen, elastin, sulfated GAG and MMP1 were evaluated. The results show that the administration of the complex significantly reduces the percentage of skin cells with a high melanin content by 16%, and that in skin irradiated with UVA/UVB, there is a decrease in the content of collagen, elastin and sulfate GAGs, and the complex reverses this reduction without changing MMP1 levels. This suggests that the compound has anti-aging and depigmentation effects on the skin, giving a skin rejuvenation appearance.

Keywords: aging; depigmentation; extracellular matrix; hyaluronic acid; melanin; skin explants.

Figure 1

Histological results of skin pigmentation: (A) Histogram of the percentage of cells with low (score 1), medium (score 2) and high (score 3) melanin content in both experimental groups (Control, CBG). Values are mean ± standard deviation (n = 8 values). * p < 0.05 compared to the control group. (B,C) Light microscope images of skin donor #1, and (D,E) images of skin donor #2. Images (B,D) correspond to the control, and images (C,E) after CG treatment. Comparatively, a slight decrease in black marking (cells with melanin) can be observed in images (C,E) compared to images (B,D). All images were captured at ×400 magnification.

Figure 2

Biochemical results of skin irradiated with UVA/UVB and treated with CELLBOOSTER^® Glow (CG): (A) Histogram of the results of the content of pro-collagen type I in control, irradiated with ultraviolet, and in skin irradiated with ultraviolet and treated with CG; (B) histogram of the elastin content and (C) of sulfated GAGs, in the skin in the same three experimental groups; (D) histogram of MMP1 activity and/or content in the skin of the three experimental groups. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001. Values are mean ± standard deviation (n = 8 values).