Increase of Skin-Ceramide Levels in Aged Subjects following a Short-Term Topical Application of Bacterial Sphingomyelinase from Streptococcus Thermophilus

Abstract

Several studies have demonstrated that ceramides play an essential role in both the barrier and water-holding functions of healthy stratum corneum, suggesting that the dysfunction of the stratum corneum associated with ageing as well that observed inpatients with several skin diseases could result from a ceramide deficiency. In a previous study our group reported a significant increase in skin ceramide levels in healthy subjects after treatment in vivo with a cream containing a preparation of Streptococcus thermophilus. The presence of high levels of neutral sphingomyelinase activity in this organism was responsible for the observed increase of stratum corneum ceramide levels, thus leading to an improvement in barrier function and maintenance of stratum corneum flexibility. The aim of the present work is to investigate the effects of the topical treatment of a Streptococcus thermophiluscontaining cream on ceramide levels of stratum corneum of healthy elderly women. The ceramide levels, transepidermal water loss and capacitance were evaluated on stratum corneum sheets from the forearms of 20 healthy female subjects treated with a base cream or the same cream containing a sonicated preparation of the lactic acid bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus. A 2-week topical application of a sonicated Streptococcus thermophilus preparation led to significant and relevant increase of stratum corneum ceramide levels. Moreover, the hydration values of the treated forearm of each subject was significantly higher than control sites. These results suggest that the experimental cream was able to improve the lipid barrier and to increase a resistance against ageing-associated xerosis.The stratum corneum (sq, a highly specialized structure, is the outermost layer of the skin and functions as an important barrier to maintain biological homeostasis (l ). The SC is comprised of both non-viable, protein-enriched corneocytes and a surrounding lipid-enriched extracellular matrix (2). This structure explains such functions as regulation of transcutaneous water loss, stratum corneum moisturization, corneocyte cohesion, and percutaneous drug delivery. The lipid component includes cholesterol, ceramides and fatty acids (FA) typically with ratios in the range of3 :4:2, respectively (3). However, it is theceramides that are thought to play the essential role in the formation of the bilayer system. The extracellular Cer comprise~50% of the SC lipids, and represent a heterogeneous family of at

Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis - back to the future?

“…Specifically, researchers showed that the lactic acid bacteria Streptococcus thermophilus , a species found in most yogurts, can increase ceramide production when applied to the skin for 7 days as a cream [58]. This work, which has since been replicated [59,60], is of relevance to acne, particularly when considering that some of the ceramide sphingolipids, most notably phytosphingosine (PS), provide both antimicrobial activity against Propionibacterium acnes ( P. acnes ) and direct anti-inflammatory activity [61]. Sphingolipids have been noted to be low in acne [62], and the seasonal loss of ceramides may be a driving force behind much higher dermatological office visits for acne during winter months [63].…”

The role of topical probiotics in skin conditions: A systematic review of animal and human studies and implications for future therapies

“…Numerous human studies have investigated the role of topical probiotics in various skin conditions . Skin conditions that have been investigated include atopic dermatitis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, acne and reactive skin.…”

“…Topical probiotics and postbiotics have also been explored in elderly healthy individuals and in patients with reactive skin. In healthy individuals, S thermophilus was able to increase ceramide production and improve skin hydration . In patients with reactive skin, B longum extract decreased skin sensitivity and improved resistance to physical manipulation .…”

Ceramides metabolism and impaired epidermal barrier in cutaneous diseases and skin aging: focus on the role of the enzyme PNPLA1 in the synthesis of ω-O-acylceramides and its pathophysiological involvement in some forms of congenital ichthyoses

“…For some years now many studies have been conducted to identify such treatments. Besides clinical trials performed on aged vs. young subjects (Seyfarth et al, 2011;Danby et al, 2016;Chang et al, 2018), one can also find interesting information from studies done on patients with skin diseases characterized by a perturbation of stratum corneum lipids and a defective barrier, like atopic dermatitis, psoriasis or ichthyoses (Lowe et al, 2012;Liu et al, 2015;Sahle et al, 2015), as well as studies using animal or in vitro models (Di Marzio et al, 2008;Moner et al, 2018;Popa et al, 2018).…”