Daily Cosmetic Research Analysis

BACKGROUND: The development of effective evaluation tools for anti-hair loss therapies is critical due to limitations in existing experimental systems. Hairy 3D skin models and hairy skin explants are not yet commercially viable, necessitating alternative approaches for assessing androgenic alopecia (AGA). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a hair-bearing organoid model derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells to evaluate the efficacy of compounds against AGA. METHODS: Organoids were cultured from ES cells for approximately 100 days until hair follicle formation began. AGA conditions were induced by treating organoids with dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The recovery effects were assessed using minoxidil (MXD) and soybean embryo extract (SOYACT), a cosmetic ingredient certified for mitigating hair loss. The efficacy of SOYACT was validated through MTT assays, RT-PCR, and ex vivo organ culture. Hair numbers were quantified, and biomarkers related to hair growth, including SOX2, PCNA were analyzed via immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: DHT treatment at 1 µM significantly reduced pigmented hair numbers and decreased expression of hair growth-associated biomarkers. Conversely, co-treatment with 200 μg/mL SOYACT or MXD mitigated these effects, restoring hair follicle numbers and biomarker expression levels. These findings demonstrated the successful induction of AGA conditions in hair-bearing organoids and their response to anti-hair loss ingredients. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the utility of hair-bearing organoids as a novel experimental model for evaluating AGA therapies. The organoid model addresses limitations in traditional in vitro systems, providing a robust platform for efficacy testing of therapeutic and cosmetic interventions targeting androgenic alopecia.

Nicomenthyl (NM), prodrug of niacinamide (vitamin B3), is widely used in skin applications for their biological benefits, but remain mainly in the stratum corneum (SC). Bioactive methacrylate-functionalized hyaluronic acid (HA-MA) (44.5 KDa; degree of substitution: 80-100%), used to stabilize Oil-in-Water emulsions (EM) as new application for polysaccharide, represent an effective strategy to trespass SC. Here, 265 nm stable EMs containing 5 wt% NM (EM-NM) resulted in 3.22, 2.84 and 1.98 fold-increase of COL I/III and Elastin expression, respectively, compared to basal levels of HDF cells. After 24 h, >90% of HaCat/HDF scratched area was covered with EM-NM, significantly higher than NM alone. UVB protection and anti-inflammatory activity of EM-NM were confirmed by recovering IL-6 basal level for UV-irradiated HaCat/HDF cell. While EM-NM reached stratum basale after 24 h-biodistribution studies, it reduced UVB-induced IL-6/IL-8 expression and restored COL I/III expression in photoaged skin models to healthy skin phenotype. While SPTLC2 expression was increased by 1.87-fold in the epidermis, ELN expression was increased by 1.69-fold in the dermis. Altogether, EM-NM proved to enhance NM biological activity and promote skin barrier function of the epidermis and increase elastin production in the dermis, highlighting its potential as a UV-protective and anti-aging cosmetic ingredient.

Fats are essential ingredients widely used in the food industry, as well as in cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations. Solid fats are complex multicomponent systems primarily composed of triacylglycerols (TAGs), which determine the types and properties of the crystalline structures formed. TAGs crystallize in different polymorphs and stacking configurations, with distinct thermal and mechanical properties that influence the macroscopic structure and sensory profile of fat-based products. In this study, a comprehensive multi-technique analysis of animal-derived fats, specifically chicken and beef fats, was conducted. Chemical characterization was performed and solid fat content (SFC) was determined. Thermal behaviour was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), whereas crystallization experiments were conducted using in situ turbidity measurements and synchrotron small-angle and wide-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) for structural characterization. Three different synchrotron experimental setups were used for crystallization experiments, including static and sheared conditions. The results demonstrate that the crystallization behaviour of beef and chicken fat samples closely correlate with their TAGs composition. Synchrotron x-ray scattering provided structural insights, highlighting how the polymorphic behaviour is influenced by fat origin and crystallization conditions. For both animal fat types, all three main polymorphs and possible transitions were detected. Moreover, the presence of shear promoted crystallization of stable polymorphs.