SCC Annual Scientific Meeting and Technology Showcase Report

By: Katie Schaefer

Posted: December 16, 2008

page 5 of 12

Lintner concluded, after reviewing the pros and cons of each of the treatment types, that although SIPS can be useful to screen for antiaging activity based on antioxidant or enzyme inhibitory activity, that it is difficult to know whether treatment materials are targeting the aging mechanism or the effects of the SIPS themselves. A more realistic approach to senescence studies, according to Lintner, is obtained with longer-term cell culture studies involving proliferation rates, marker proteins and telomere analysis. This topic of telomeres also was a topic of discussion during the IFSCC Congress held in Barcelona. Lintner shared an interesting fact, which may already be known to some: telomeres are longer in lobsters and these sea creatures are noted for their long lifespan. "Lobsters have been called immortal," said Lintner, who noted myths about their everlasting lives.

During his closing, Lintner referenced many recent studies that have surfaced involving resveratrol and its potential to lengthen lifespan. "It's the youth molecule," said Lintner. He concluded that more clinical studies are needed, and that perhaps the answer does not lie in studies in vivo, or in vitro, but perhaps "in vino," much to attendees' satisfaction.

Matrix proteins and expression profiles: David Boudier, scientific communications manager for Silab, next presented research focused on the superior dermis in close contact with the Dermal Epidermal Junction (DEJ); the papillary dermis. In his presentation, Boudier described an in vitro model of intrinsic aging focused on the papillary dermis to study the profiles of different matrix proteins. Specifically, the in vitro model of senescent papillary fibroblasts by replication was validated by visualization of the marker of senescence, beta-galactosidase. The described model showed how early deterioration of the oxytalan fibers begins at 30–40 years of age, and that they gradually disappear; the expression of collagens by the papillary fibroblasts also is impaired. As a consequence, the number and size of the dermal papillae are reduced and expressed in the form of DEJ flattening. Thus, a treatment based on tiger nut tubers (Cyperus esculentis) was designed to restore the normal expression of these dermal markers.

In vitro UVA evaluation: Olga Dueva-Koganov, personal scientist in the home and personal care division at Ciba, next presented how to meet the US FDA's highest standard of UVA rating by optimizing sunscreen compositions and by assuring their photostability. This very complex method included, in brief: a discussion of pre-irradiation, spectral power distribution normalization, test mediums--including a replica skin substrate and quartz plates, application time, transmittance calculations, test articles and more. During the Q&A session, attendees commended the "enormous" amount of work put into this study. In the end, Dueva-Koganov concluded that her research established test conditions to closely and successfully measure what the FDA requires of sunsreens.

Pig skin organ culture model: Ending the day's session on in vitro testing, Gabriele Vielhaber, PhD, vice president of innovation/R&D life essentials at Symrise, presented "A Novel Ex vivo Pig Skin Organ Culture Model for Use in Efficacy and Safety Testing." This approach to testing meets two needs, according to Vielhaber, namely consumer demand for ethics and the Cosmetics Directive in Europe, banning the use of animals. This technology won Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine's International Technology Award at HBA in September. In essence, the pig skin organ culture model (PSOCM) utilizes skin taken from animals dedicated to food production, maintains its viability, and employs it to test for safety and efficacy of cosmetic products and materials. In the end, Vielhaber concluded the technology to be an "ethical, versatile and economical alternative" to animal testing.