Development of a Mass Spectrometry Imaging Method to Evaluate the Penetration of Moisturizing Components Coated on Surgical Gloves into Artificial Membranes

Abstract

Skin dryness and irritant contact dermatitis induced by the prolonged use of surgical gloves are issues faced by physicians. To address these concerns, manufacturers have introduced surgical gloves that incorporate a moisturizing component on their inner surface, resulting in documented results showing a reduction in hand dermatitis. However, the spatial distribution of moisturizers applied to surgical gloves within the integument remains unclear. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), we investigated the spatial distribution of moisturizers in surgical gloves within artificial membranes. Recently, dermal permeation assessments using three-dimensional models, silicone membranes, and Strat-M have gained attention as alternative approaches to animal testing. Therefore, in this study, we established an in vitro dermal permeation assessment of commercially available moisturizers in surgical gloves using artificial membranes. In this study, we offer a methodology to visualize the infiltration of moisturizers applied to surgical gloves into an artificial membrane using MALDI-MSI, while evaluating commercially available moisturizer-coated surgical gloves. Using our penetration evaluation method, we confirmed the infiltration of the moisturizers into the polyethersulfone 2 and polyolefin layers, which correspond to the epidermis and dermis of the skin, after the use of surgical gloves. The MSI-based method presented herein demonstrated the efficacy of evaluating the permeation of samples containing active ingredients.

Keywords: animal substitutes; artificial membranes; mass spectrometry imaging; moisturizing coating compounds; surgical gloves.

Fig. 1. (A) Comparison of the structures of the artificial membrane and human skin. Refer from https://bit.ly/3TicdCq. (B) Photographs of the permeation tests. A plastic culture dish was placed on a plastic rod and an artificial membrane was placed on top. A gap was created between the bottom of the dish and the membrane to prevent diffusion of the components that penetrated the dermis. In addition, the dish was covered with a lid to keep the surgical gloves and the artificial membrane in close contact. PES, polyethersulfone.

Fig. 2. Permeation of moisturizing components in artificial membranes at RT or 37°C for 24 and 72 h. (A–D) The distribution of the humectants in the membrane: glycerol at (A) RT and (B) 37°C, and panthenol at (C) RT and (D) 37°C. Glycerol has penetrated the dermis after 24 h of penetration treatment. (E and F) Comparison of the peak intensities of the (E) glycerol and (F) panthenol in the artificial membranes at RT and 37°C. The peak intensities of both compounds were significantly higher at 37°C than those at RT, but there was no difference due to the permeation time. *p <0.05, scale bar: 25 μm. a.u., astronomical unit; MSI, mass spectrometry imaging; PES, polyethersulfone; RT, room temperature.

Fig. 3. Peak intensities of (A) glycerol and (B) panthenol in the artificial membranes treated at RT for 72 h with surgical gloves coated with moisturizing components. ND, not detected; RT, room temperature.

Fig. 4. Penetration of moisturizing components into artificial membranes 18 and 36 h after treatment with surgical gloves coated with moisturizing components at RT. (A) Distribution of glycerol from the surgical gloves to the membrane. After 18 h of treatment, most of the distribution was near the PES2, and at 36 h, the distribution ranged from the PES2 to the polyolefin. (B) Comparison of peak intensities. The peak intensity was significantly higher at 36 h than that at 18 h. *p <0.05, scale bar: 25 μm. a.u., astronomical unit; MSI, mass spectrometry imaging; PES, polyethersulfone; RT, room temperature.

Fig. 5. Comparison of the peak intensities of the residual moisturizing components on the surface of the surgical gloves. The ion intensities of (A) glycerol and (B) panthenol were significantly decreased on the surface of surgical gloves 36 and 18 h after treatment, respectively. *p <0.05, ****p <0.0001.

Fig. 6. Penetration evaluation results of glycerol standard at (A) RT and (B) 37°C. Penetration evaluation results of panthenol standard at (C) RT and (D) 37°C. (E) Penetration evaluation results of glycerol in a surgical glove coating. The ion intensity of each layer is expressed as a percentage of the peak intensity of the entire artificial membrane (PES1 + PES2 + polyolefin). PES, polyethersulfone; RT, room temperature.