title: A novel mechanism for improvement of dry skin by dietary milk phospholipids: Effect on epidermal covalently bound ceramides and skin inflammation in hairless mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dietary milk phospholipids (MPLs) increase hydration of the stratum corneum and reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in hairless mice fed a standard diet. However, the mechanism by which MPLs improve skin barrier functions has yet to be established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to examine the mechanism by which MPLs may affect covalently bound ceramides and markers of skin inflammation and improve the skin barrier defect in hairless mice fed a magnesium-deficient (HR-AD) diet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-week-old female hairless mice were randomized into four groups (n=10/group), and fed a standard (control) diet, the HR-AD diet, the HR-AD diet supplemented with either 7.0 g/kg MPLs (low [L]-MPL) or 41.0 g/kg MPLs (high [H]-MPL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dietary MPLs improved the dry skin condition of hairless mice fed the HR-AD diet. MPLs significantly increased the percentage of covalently bound ω-hydroxy ceramides in the epidermis, and significantly decreased both thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) mRNA and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) mRNA levels in skin, compared with the HR-AD diet. Furthermore, the MPL diets significantly decreased serum concentrations of immunoglobulin-E, TARC, TSLP, and soluble P-selectin versus the HR-AD diet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed for the first time that dietary MPLs may modulate epidermal covalently bound ceramides associated with formation of lamellar structures and suppress skin inflammation, resulting in improved skin barrier function.
authors: Food Science Research Labs, Meiji Co., Ltd., 540 Naruda, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa 250-0862, Japan. Electronic address: masashi.morifuji@meiji.com.
authors: Masashi
authors: M
authors: Morifuji
authors: Food Science Research Labs, Meiji Co., Ltd., 540 Naruda, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa 250-0862, Japan.
authors: Chisato
authors: C
authors: Oba
authors: Food Science Research Labs, Meiji Co., Ltd., 540 Naruda, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa 250-0862, Japan.
authors: Satomi
authors: S
authors: Ichikawa
authors: Food Science Research Labs, Meiji Co., Ltd., 540 Naruda, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa 250-0862, Japan.
authors: Kyoko
authors: K
authors: Ito
authors: Food Science Research Labs, Meiji Co., Ltd., 540 Naruda, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa 250-0862, Japan.
authors: Keiko
authors: K
authors: Kawahata
authors: Food Science Research Labs, Meiji Co., Ltd., 540 Naruda, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa 250-0862, Japan.
authors: Yukio
authors: Y
authors: Asami
authors: Food Science Research Labs, Meiji Co., Ltd., 540 Naruda, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa 250-0862, Japan.
authors: Shuji
authors: S
authors: Ikegami
authors: Food Science Research Labs, Meiji Co., Ltd., 540 Naruda, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa 250-0862, Japan.
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Itoh
authors: Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawaoiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
authors: Tatsuya
authors: T
authors: Sugawara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism; D002518:Ceramides / Q000032:analysis*; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004032:Diet; D004817:Epidermis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008812:Mice, Hairless; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D019007:P-Selectin; D010743:Phospholipids; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Covalently bound ceramides; Hairless mice; Milk phospholipids; Skin barrier function; Skin inflammation