New nanotechnology for the guided tissue regeneration of skin - potential of lyotropic liquid crystals

• Published in: Pharmazie Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 112 - 116
• Main Authors: Yamaguchi, Y., Nagasawa, T., Kitagawa, A., Nakamura, N., Matsumoto, K., Uchiwa, H., Hirata, K., Igarashi, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Govi-Verlag 01.02.2006
• Subjects: Animals; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Emulsions; Epidermal Growth Factor - metabolism; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid - metabolism; Immunohistochemistry; Interleukin-1 - metabolism; Keratolytic Agents - pharmacology; Male; Mice; Models, Biological; Nanotechnology; Regeneration - drug effects; RNA, Messenger - analysis; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; Scattering, Radiation; Skin - chemistry; Skin - drug effects; Skin Physiological Phenomena - drug effects; Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism; Tretinoin - pharmacology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; X-Rays
• ISSN: 0031-7144

Tissue in body must quickly recognize injury to response to the rapid pace of epidermal growth. In skin, the epidermal cells must also react to danger signals from the surrounding extracellular lipid of the stratum corneum spaces and immediately participate by initiating the wound repair process. The topical administration of the lyotropic liquid crystal nanocubeTM to stratum corneum rapidly broke down the lipid lamella structure which would be recognized as a wound without organ-change. This can activate a variety of biological processes. This study set out to determine whether the phase transition of the lipid to a neighbouring different physicochemical structure can stimulate keratinocyte cells and what mechanism is responsible for this response. Using small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis, a response to the transient structural change of lipid was detected which might result from the diffusion of oil and/or water from nanocubeTM liquid crystal towards the lipid lamella phase. Simultaneously, a significant increase in growth factors and inflammatory cytokines was detected after administration of nanocubeTM. Not only the excess expression of cytokines but also the extent of TEWL as a barrier marker of skin increased. These observations suggest that a structural change in lipid can stimulate and trigger recognition of a slight injury in the wound defence and a repair response as homeostasis. This method actually succeeded in improving photo-induced hyperpigmentation on a human face.