The relationship between transepidermal water loss and skin permeability

Machado, Marta; Salgado, Teresa M.; Hadgraft, Jonathan; Lane, Majella E.

doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2009.09.044

Cited by 96 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…For example, the SC on the face is thinner, and contains smaller corneocytes than that on the forearm. 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).…”

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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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterisation of Skin Barrier Function Using Bioengineering and Biophysical Techniques

Yang

Guy

2014

Pharm Res

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“…Because the predominant pathway for water loss through the skin is considered to be the intercellular route, i.e. through the lipids in which corneocytes are embedded, major contributors to the diffusion coefficient D are the lipids (specifically their amount, relative proportion and lateral organization), as well as the tortuous path created by the stacked packing of corneocytes [28,29,30]. …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microspectroscopic Confocal Raman and Macroscopic Biophysical Measurements in the in vivo Assessment of the Skin Barrier: Perspective for Dermatology and Cosmetic Sciences

Falcone

Uzunbajakava²,

Varghese

et al. 2015

Skin Pharmacol Physiol

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Skin barrier function, confined to the stratum corneum, is traditionally evaluated using established, noninvasive biophysical methods like transepidermal water loss, capacitance and conductance. However, these methods neither measure skin molecular composition nor its structure, hindering the actual causes of skin barrier change or impairment. At the same time, confocal Raman microspectroscopy (CRS) can directly measure skin molecular composition and structure and has proven itself to be a powerful technique for biomolecular analysis. The aims of this literature review were to evaluate noninvasive biophysical methods in view of CRS and to outline a direction towards more specific and informative skin measurement methods. We address this by investigating, for the first time, the relation between in vivo assessment of the skin barrier using indirect biophysical methods and the actual skin composition and structure as given by CRS, and emphasize the high potential of CRS for dermatology and cosmetic sciences. CRS acceptance in these fields will require close collaboration between dermatologists, skin scientists and spectroscopy experts towards simplifying the technology and creating robust, rapid, easy-to-use and less expensive CRS applications.

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“…TEWL measures the steady-state water flux that passes through the epidermal layer to the surrounding atmosphere via diffusion and evaporation [9,10]. TEWL has been used as an indicator of skin integrity deficiencies, like damage from chemical or physical irritants or changes under occlusive conditions [11,12,13,14].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An in vitro Skin Penetration Model for Compromised Skin: Estimating Penetration of Polyethylene Glycol [<sup>14</sup>C]-PEG-7 Phosphate

Dey

Rothe²,

Page³

et al. 2014

Skin Pharmacol Physiol

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Background/Aims: Establishing dermal penetration rates is important to better understand the safety of topically applied materials, especially for premature infant skin with compromised skin barrier function. Skin prematurity involves thinner stratum corneum and underdeveloped epidermis/dermis resulting in decreased barrier function, higher transepidermal water loss and greater chemical penetration, when compared to healthy full-term neonate/adult skin. Methods: We developed an in vitro skin penetration model using human ex vivo skin to estimate penetration for premature/compromised skin barrier conditions by tape stripping. Skin barrier deficiency was characterized by transepidermal water loss. Baby wipe lotion containing 5 mg/cm² [¹⁴C]-PEG-7 phosphate was applied 5 times to human skin samples of intact, moderately or highly compromised skin barrier and once at 25 mg/cm² over 24 h. Results: Overall penetration of [¹⁴C]-PEG-7 phosphate was low (<5%) even for highly compromised skin. The absorption rate was higher (p < 0.001) for compromised skin versus intact skin. No significant difference was seen between moderately and highly compromised skin by repeated dosing. Under single-dose conditions, penetration through highly compromised skin was significantly higher compared to intact skin (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Our model demonstrates that even under highly compromised skin conditions, penetration of [¹⁴C]-PEG-7 phosphate is low (<5%) and only 4-6 times higher compared to mature/intact skin and does not approach 100%. Penetration was unaffected by single or multiple dosing conditions.

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The relationship between transepidermal water loss and skin permeability

Cited by 96 publications

References 23 publications

Characterisation of Skin Barrier Function Using Bioengineering and Biophysical Techniques

Characterisation of Skin Barrier Function Using Bioengineering and Biophysical Techniques

Microspectroscopic Confocal Raman and Macroscopic Biophysical Measurements in the in vivo Assessment of the Skin Barrier: Perspective for Dermatology and Cosmetic Sciences

An in vitro Skin Penetration Model for Compromised Skin: Estimating Penetration of Polyethylene Glycol [<sup>14</sup>C]-PEG-7 Phosphate

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