Topically applied fatty acids are elongated before incorporation in the stratum corneum lipid matrix in compromised skin.
In several skin diseases, both the lipid composition and organization in the stratum corneum (SC) are altered which contributes to the impaired skin barrier function in patients. One of the approaches for skin barrier repair is treatment with topical formulations to normalize SC lipid composition and organization. Vernix caseosa (VC), a white cheesy cream on the skin during gestational delivery, has shown to enhance skin barrier repair. In this study, we examined how a fatty acid (FA) containing formulation mimicking the lipid composition of VC interacts with the lipid matrix in the SC. The formulation was applied on ex vivo human skin after SC removal. Subsequently, the ex vivo human skin generated SC during culture. The effect of FA containing formulations on the lipid organization and composition in the regenerated SC was analysed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC/MS), respectively. FTIR results demonstrate that the FAs are intercalated in the lipid matrix of the regenerated SC and partition in the same lattice with the endogenous SC lipids, thereby enhancing the fraction of lipids forming an orthorhombic (very dense) packing in the SC. LC/MS data show that the topically applied FAs are elongated before intercalation in the lipid matrix and are thus involved in the lipid biosynthesis in the skin.
Department of Drug Delivery Technology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Tineke
T
Berkers
Department of Drug Delivery Technology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Lauri
L
van Dijk
Department of Drug Delivery Technology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Samira
S
Absalah
Department of Drug Delivery Technology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Jeroen
J
van Smeden
Department of Drug Delivery Technology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Joke A
JA
Bouwstra
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004817:Epidermis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D014708:Vernix Caseosa / Q000737:chemistry
D005227:Fatty Acids
lipid organization; lipid synthesis; skin barrier repair; topical formulation