• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.267-272
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• 2015

'Tight junctions (TJ)' have recently been identified in the granular cell layer of the human epidermis, where they contribute to the normal adhesion between keratinocytes and to the physiologic barrier function of the epidermis. Among the TJ proteins in the epidermis, occludin is an important transmembrane protein, which is considered as a major component. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether regional variation exists in the expression of the tight junction protein occludin in normal human epidermis. Indirect immunofluorescence staining for occludin was performed with specimens taken from different areas of normal skin (4 from each of 7 different anatomical sites, including the scalp, face, posterior neck, upper arm, abdomen, lower back, and inner thigh). The degrees of the expression-intensity in each specimen were estimated with the reciprocals of positive end-point titer of occludin in an indirect immunofluorescence study. The highest degree expression-intensity of the TJ protein occludin among the different areas of normal epidermis was observed on the face and abdomen with a titer of 600 (p=0.001). The lowest intensity of expression of occludin was seen in the epidermis from the upper arm. Skin specimens from the scalp, neck, back, and leg demonstrated intermediate degrees of the expression in intensity. The expression of occludin in the skin samples obtained from different locations of the body showed a statistically significant variation. This suggests that there is a certain degree of regional variation in the expression-intensity of TJ protein 'occludin' in the human epidermis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.396-403
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• 2011

Ceramides (Cer) comprise the major constituent of sphingolipids in the epidermis and are known to play diverse roles in the outermost layers of the skin including water retention and provision of a physical barrier. In addition, they can be hydrolyzed into free sphingoid bases such as $C_{18}$ sphingosine (SO) and $C_{18}$ sphinganine (SA) or can be further metabolized to $C_{18}$ So-1-phosphate (S1P) and $C_{18}$ Sa-1-phosphate (Sa1P) in keratinocytes. The significance of ceramide metabolites emerged from studies reporting altered levels of SO and SA in skin disorders and the role of S1P and Sa1P as signaling lipids. However, the overall metabolism of sphingoid bases and their phosphates during keratinocyte differentiation remains not fully understood. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed these Cer metabolites in the process of keratinocyte differentiation. Three distinct keratinocyte differentiation stages were prepared using 0.07 mM calcium (Ca$^{2+}$) (proliferation stage), 1.2 mM Ca$^{2+}$ (early differentiation stage) in serum-free medium, or serum-containing medium with vitamin C (50 ${\mu}L$/mL) (late differentiation stage). Serum-containing medium was also used to determine whether vitamin C increases the concentrations of sphingoid bases and their phosphates. The production of sphingoid bases and their phosphates after hydrolysis by alkaline phosphatase was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Compared to cells treated with 0.07 mM Ca$^{2+}$, levels of SO, SA, S1P, and SA1P were not altered after treatment with 1.2 mM Ca$^{2+}$. However, in keratinocytes cultured in serum-containing medium with vitamin C, levels of SO, SA, S1P, and SA1P were dramatically higher than those in 0.07- and l.2-mM Ca$^{2+}$-treated cells; however, compared to serum-containing medium alone, vitamin C did not significantly enhance their production. Taken together, we demonstrate that late differentiation induced by vitamin C and serum was accompanied by dramatic increases in the concentration of sphingoid bases and their phosphates, although vitamin C alone had no effect on their production.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2014

At present, there are few research papers on skin penetration of cosmeceutical ingredients. What is worse is that in vivo studies are hard to find. In this study, we measured skin epidermal penetration of cosmeceutical ingredients using in vivo Raman spectroscopy and compared with the results obtained from experiments using in vitro franz cell. Results showed that ascorbyl-2-glucoside, retinol, retinyl palmitate, and kojic acid were good for penetration ratio in measurement in vitro and retinol, vitamin C, and arbutin were good in measurement in vivo. Among them, retinol was best in skin penetration in vivo experiment using Raman spectroscopy and ascorbyl-2-glucoside was best in skin penetration in vitro experiment using Franz cell system. It is estimated that the differences were originated from the experimental procedures of two different methods; in vivo Raman experiment can be sensitive to the effect of epidermis and dermis as characteristics of matter by estimating the stratum corneum and in vitro measurement is evaluation of material to penetrate skin of hairless mouse. However, most penetration barrier is the stratum corneum, thus it is important to examine movement of material in the stratum corneum. We expect that these results provided useful information for many cosmetic related research.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.737-748
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• 1997

Distribution of rhEGF in the skin, plasma and several organ tissues following topical application of $^{125}I-rhEGF$ (0.4${\mu}$Ci) solution in 25% Pluronic F-127 on 154$mm^2$ normal and damaged (burned and stripped) skins of hairless mice was examined. The radioactivity in the stripped skin tissues increased as a function of time, and was 10-20 times higher than that in the normal and burned skins. The fractions of intact drug in the skin tissues were 40-60% for the normal and burned skins, and 60-80% for the stripped skin. It indicates that the stratum corneum layer behaves as a barrier for the dermal penetration of the drug. The radioactivity in the plasma was much higher for the stripped skin than for the normal and burned skins. However, the concentration of intact drug in the stripped skin was comparable to those in the normal and burned skins indicating most severe degradation (or metabolism) of the drug in the stripped skin. As a result, the fraction of intact drug in the plasma was lowest for the stripped skin (<10%). Body organ distribution of the drug was much higher for the stripped skin. The concentration in the stomach. Both in total radioactivity and intact drug, showed more than 10-times higher value than in the other organs (liver, kidney and spleen). The fraction of intact drug in each organ tissue was below 10-20%. And generally lowest for the stripped skin. The lowest fraction of the drug for the stripped skin could not be explained by the activity of the aminopeptidases in the skin since it was lower for the stripped skin than for the normal skin. Thereover, the fraction of intact drug appears to be determined by the balance between dermal uptake and systemic elimination of the drug, for example. The mechanism of dermal uptake of rhEGF was examined by topical applying 200${\mu}$l of 25% Pluronic F-127 solution containing 0.4 ${\mu}$Ci of $^{125}I-rhEGF$ and 0.14${\mu}$Ci of $^{14}C$-inulin (a marker of passive diffusion). The radioactivity of $^{125}I-rhEGF$ at each sampling time point (0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8hr) was correlated (p<0.05) with the corresponding radioactivity of $^{14}C$-inulin. It appears to indicate the rhEGF may be uptaken into the skins mainly by the passive diffusion. This hypothesis was supported by the constant specific binding of EGF to the skin homogenates regardless of the skin models. Receptor mediated endocytosis (RME) appears to contribute negligibly, if any, to the overall uptake process.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.554-562
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• 2007

Ceramide rich intercellular lipid lamellae are thought to be particularly important in maintaining the structural integrity of epidermal barrier. Ceramide is synthesized de novo by serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) phospholipid intermediates, serine and palmitic acid persist within the stratum corneum. The ceramide which is synthesized is degraded with fatty acid and sphingosine by degradative enzyme ceramidase. The depletion of ceramide in stratum corneum was reported in the atopic dermatitis. As an effort to search for the dietary source for improving the level of ceramide in epidermis, the dietary effects of various-typed silk protein were compared. Seventy male NC/Nga mice, an animal model of atopic dermatitis, were divided into seven groups: group CA as an atopic control with control diet, group S: 1% crude sericin diet, group F: 1% crude fibroin diet, group PS : peptide pattern of sericin(Mw 5000), group PF: peptide pattern of fibroin (Mw 1500), group AS: manufactured the same as amino acid profile of sericin and group AF: manufactured the same as amino acid profile of fibroin. Ten male BALB/c mice were served as group C (control group) control diet. All mice were fed on diet and water ad libitum for 10 weeks. Dry skin condition was established in group CA as ceramide content was decreased. Despite a marked decrease of mRNA and prorein expression of SPT, enzyme do novo synthesis, ceramide content of group S was dramatically increased by inhibiting the mRNA and protein expression of degradative enzyme ceramidase. However, dietary supplementation of crude silk fibroin protein (group F) and in other groups that were supplemented with either amino acid or peptide type of sericin or fibroin did not increase the level of ceramide. Together, our data demonstrate that dietary supplementation of crude sericin is more effective at improving ceramide level in epidemis of NC/Nga mice.