Using B-CHP to Stain for Damaged Collagen Illuminates Impacts of Retinal + Retinol Analog Treatment on UV Exposed Skin
What if we could Make Retinoids Better?
Cumulative exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light damages skin leading to development of wrinkles and skin roughness over time. These aesthetic alterations have significant emotional impacts on UV-exposed patients. While retinoids have emerged as a useful topical treatment to reduce the effects of photoaging, they can produce unpleasant side effects such as dry, flaky, and burning skin. Therefore, retinal (RAL), a retinol precursor, and plant-derived retinol analogs propose a less irritating treatment alternative to traditional retinoids. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of RAL in combination with retinol analogs such as bakuchiol (BAK) and Vigna aconitifolia extract (VAE), versus RAL alone. They hypothesized that the retinol analogs would decrease the time needed to see the effects of treatment without increasing irritating side effects.
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To evaluate the quality of treated collagen in the dermis, a UV-treated ex-vivo skin model was used to simulate aging skin. MMP-1 is a collagenase that degrades collagen fibers and is highly prevalent in aging skin as the loss of collagen contributes to wrinkles. Using B-CHP , the skin models were evaluated for the activity of collagen-degrading matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). As expected, UV treatment increased collagen damage by 55% over untreated skin controls. Importantly, treatment with 3RC (RAL, BAK, VAE, melatonin, and niacinamide) after UV exposure reduced the amount of damaged collagen by 46% compared to the untreated UV group. Similarly, RAL treatment resulted in decreased levels of MMP-1. These findings suggest that RAL treatment leads to repair of damaged collagen and reduced MMP-mediated damage of dermal collagen.
To confirm these promising results in humans, a clinical study was performed using 3RC treatment on women with moderate to severe photodamage. After 28 days of nightly application of 3RC, they observed fewer wrinkles, and increased skin firmness, elasticity, and homogeneity. Importantly, using the combination 3RC treatment produced these anti-aging effects after only one month, outpacing the effects seen with RAL alone, and without the skin irritation side effects of retinol.
Reducing damaged collagen and promoting collagen production is one of the main goals of anti-aging skin treatments. Therefore, visualizing damaged collagen through B-CHP staining allowed researchers to quantify the degree of collagen turnover in skin samples treated in vitro. The B-CHP damaged collagen stain is a helpful tool for cosmetic research as scientists were able to compare amounts of damaged collagen among treatment groups.
Brown, Anthony et al. “Natural Retinol Analogs Potentiate the Effects of Retinal on Aged and Photodamaged Skin: Results from In Vitro to Clinical Studies.” Dermatology and Therapy, vol. 13, no. 10, 2023, pp. 2299-2317. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-023-01004-z
