title: Evaluation of the effects of chitin nanofibrils on skin function using skin models.
abstract: Chitins are highly crystalline structures that are predominantly found in crustacean shells. Alpha-chitin is composed of microfibers, which are made up of nanofibrils that are 2-5 nm in diameter and 30 nm in length and embedded in a protein matrix. Crystalline nanofibrils can also be prepared by acid treatment. We verified the effect of chitin nanofibrils (NF) and nanocrystals (NC) on skin using a three-dimensional skin culture model and Franz cells. The application of NF and NC to skin improved the epithelial granular layer and increased granular density. Furthermore, NF and NC application to the skin resulted in a lower production of TGF-β compared to that of the control group. NF and NC might have protective effects to skin. Therefore, their potential use as components of skin-protective formulations merits consideration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Minami, Tottori 680-8553, Japan. Electronic address: i.ikuko95@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Osaki
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ifuku
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saimoto
authors.forename: Yoshimori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takamori
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurozumi
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imagawa
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuka
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Saburo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D057139:Nanofibers; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D002686:Chitin
keywords: Chitin nanofibrils; Franz cells; Skin; Skin-protective agents; Three-dimensional skin culture model