The cornified cell envelope: an important marker of stratum corneum maturation in healthy and dry skin

Harding, Clive R.; Long, S.; Richardson, James A.; Rogers, Julia S.; Zhang, Zhibing; Bush, A.I.; Rawlings, A. V.

doi:10.1046/j.1467-2494.2003.00175.x

Cited by 91 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…These stresses can be significant and can result in chapping and cracking. Such damage can compromise the barrier function, resulting in detrimental skin reactions including inflammation, infection, scarring, abnormal desquamation and further aggravate skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis vulgaris and chronic xerosis [6][7][8][9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relationship between water loss, mechanical stress, and molecular structure of human stratum corneum ex vivo

Vyumvuhore

Tfayli

Biniek

et al. 2014

Journal of Biophotonics

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Proper hydration of the stratum corneum (SC) is important for maintaining skin's vital functions. Water loss causes development of drying stresses, which can be perceived as 'tightness', and plays an important role in dry skin damage processes. However, molecular structure modifications arising from water loss and the subsequent development of stress has not been established. We investigated the drying stress mechanism by studying, ex vivo, the behaviors of the SC components during water desorption from initially fully hydrated samples using Raman spectroscopy. Simultaneously, we measure the SC mechanical stress with a substrate curvature instrument. Very good correlations of water loss to the mechanical stress of the stratum corneum were obtained, and the latter was found to depend mainly on the unbound water fraction. In addition to that, the water loss is accompanied with an increase of lipids matrix compactness characterized by lower chain freedom, while protein structure showed an increase in amount of α-helices, a decline in α-sheets, and an increase in folding in the tertiary structure of keratin. The drying process of SC involves a complex interplay of water binding, molecular modifications, and mechanical stress. This article provides a better understanding of the molecular mechanism associated to SC mechanics.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relationship between water loss, mechanical stress, and molecular structure of human stratum corneum ex vivo

Vyumvuhore

Tfayli

Biniek

et al. 2014

Journal of Biophotonics

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“…The surface area of facial corneocytes is smaller, resulting in a shorter path-length for molecular transport and a noticeably higher permeability (19,20). In addition, the face is one of the first body sites affected when atopic dermatitis (AD) develops and the ratio of fragile to mature corneocytes is higher here than on the inner upper arm (21). Voegeli et al (22) have also demonstrated higher levels of desquamation-related proteases on the face.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterisation of Skin Barrier Function Using Bioengineering and Biophysical Techniques

Yang

Guy

2014

Pharm Res

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Purpose: To characterise skin barrier function in vivo at two distinct anatomic sites using minimally invasive bioengineering and biophysical tools.Methods: In healthy human volunteers, the quantities of stratum corneum (SC) per unit area of skin on the forearm and forehead were quantified by gravimetric and imaging techniques. Organisation of the SC intercellular lipids was evaluated as a function of position using attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR). The constituents of natural moisturising factor (NMF) were extracted from tape-stripped samples of the SC and by reverse iontophoresis; 21 components were identified and quantified by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection.Results: SC was quantified more accurately by imaging and was significantly thinner on the forehead than on the forearm. Intercellular lipids were more disordered near the skin surface at both sites; however, throughout forearm SC, the lipids were substantially better organised than those in the forehead. Compositionally, the NMF from forearm and forehead SC was similar, but the total amount extractable from the forehead was smaller.Conclusion: Taken together, the bioengineering and biophysical techniques employed demonstrate, in a complementary, objective and quantitative fashion, that SC barrier function on the forehead is less competent than that on the forearm.Keywords: stratum corneum, skin barrier function natural moisturizing factor (NMF), reverse iontophoresis, infrared spectroscopy 3 Abbreviations IntroductionNatural moisturizing factor (NMF) is a collection of water-soluble, low molecular weight compounds found in the stratum corneum (SC). Functionally, it allows the SC to retain water against the dehydrating action of external environment and thus plays a key role in skin hydration (1). NMF is composed primarily of free amino acids (AAs) and amino acid derivatives that are derived from filaggrin. Filaggrin is synthesized from profilaggrin, an approximately 500-kDa insoluble protein, consisting of 10 to 12 repeating filaggrin units (2,3). During the transition of the mature granular cell into a corneocyte, rapid dephosphorylation of pro-filaggrin occurs, yielding filaggrin (3). As corneocytes proceed upwards through the SC, deiminiation and complete proteolysis of filaggrin yields the main components of NMF, specifically, (a) free hygroscopic amino acids (mainly Ser, Ala, Arg, Gly, Pro and His (4)), and (b) the following amino acid derivatives: pyrollidone carboxylic acid (PCA) formed by cyclisation of glutamine (5), trans-urocanic acid (UCA) synthesised from histidine (3), and ornithine (Orn) and citruline (Cit), which are degradation products of arginine (6).Presently, a filaggrin mutation is considered to be the strongest genetic risk factor for atopic dermatitis (AD) (7-10). As a result of this mutation, lower levels of NMF are generated in atopic skin and this is thought to contribute to an impaired barrier function (4, 11). Furthermore, a reduced NMF level has also been reported i...

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“…Although the SC is typically a highly efficient barrier, exposure to harsh conditions can alter its function, leading to severe skin damage such as chapping and cracking. Such damage can cause detrimental skin responses including inflammation and infection caused by compromised barrier function, scarring, and abnormal desquamation, and further aggravate the effects of skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis vulgaris, and chronic xerosis (4)(5)(6)(7).…”

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confidence: 99%

Solar UV radiation reduces the barrier function of human skin

Biniek

Levi

Dauskardt

2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

247

219

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The ubiquitous presence of solar UV radiation in human life is essential for vitamin D production but also leads to skin photoaging, damage, and malignancies. Photoaging and skin cancer have been extensively studied, but the effects of UV on the critical mechanical barrier function of the outermost layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum (SC), are not understood. The SC is the first line of defense against environmental exposures like solar UV radiation, and its effects on UV targets within the SC and subsequent alterations in the mechanical properties and related barrier function are unclear. Alteration of the SC's mechanical properties can lead to severe macroscopic skin damage such as chapping and cracking and associated inflammation, infection, scarring, and abnormal desquamation. Here, we show that UV exposure has dramatic effects on cell cohesion and mechanical integrity that are related to its effects on the SC's intercellular components, including intercellular lipids and corneodesmosomes. We found that, although the keratin-controlled stiffness remained surprisingly constant with UV exposure, the intercellular strength, strain, and cohesion decreased markedly. We further show that solar UV radiation poses a double threat to skin by both increasing the biomechanical driving force for damage while simultaneously decreasing the skin's natural ability to resist, compromising the critical barrier function of the skin.T he stratum corneum (SC), as the outermost layer of the epidermis, is the body's first line of defense against solar UV radiation. Solar UV radiation plays a dual role in human life: it is pivotal for vitamin D production (1) while also a potent and ubiquitous carcinogen responsible for much of the skin cancer in the human population (2). Although progress has been made in understanding the role of UV radiation in causing skin cancer (3), the role of solar UV radiation in altering the mechanical barrier function of the SC remains unknown.The SC provides both critical mechanical protection and a controlled permeable barrier to the external environment. Although the SC is typically a highly efficient barrier, exposure to harsh conditions can alter its function, leading to severe skin damage such as chapping and cracking. Such damage can cause detrimental skin responses including inflammation and infection caused by compromised barrier function, scarring, and abnormal desquamation, and further aggravate the effects of skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis vulgaris, and chronic xerosis (4-7).UV radiation is divided into three main types based on wavelength: UVC radiation (200-280 nm) is predominately filtered by the ozone layer in the stratosphere, UVB radiation (280-320 nm) is mainly absorbed by the epidermis, and UVA radiation (320-400 nm) penetrates deeper into the dermis but interacts with both the SC and epidermis as well (8) (Fig. 1). The penetration of UV radiation into the skin can initiate detrimental photochemical reactions, causing both acute conditions such as erythem...

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The cornified cell envelope: an important marker of stratum corneum maturation in healthy and dry skin

Cited by 91 publications

References 31 publications

The relationship between water loss, mechanical stress, and molecular structure of human stratum corneum ex vivo

The relationship between water loss, mechanical stress, and molecular structure of human stratum corneum ex vivo

Characterisation of Skin Barrier Function Using Bioengineering and Biophysical Techniques

Solar UV radiation reduces the barrier function of human skin

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