Inflammation Resolution During Skin Aging

Inflammation is a major concern in dermatology and for skin health. Daily stress, lack of sleep, improper diet, pollution, sun exposure and aging itself can all trigger a lowgrade inflammation in the skin. Inflammation is a natural system of defense against external and internal aggressions. When correctly controlled, inflammation leads to a complete return to tissue equilibrium. However, a default in inflammation resolution pathways may directly impact both appearance and beauty of the skin. 


To better understand the muted, asymptomatic and chronic inflammation related to skin aging, Gattefossé and Ambiotis carried out investigation to unravel the underlying mechanisms leading to non-resolving inflammation, also called Inflamm’ Aging. 


A skin explant model was developed in vitro by Gattefossé to simulate the natural triggering of skin inflammation and its subsequent regulation. Using its thorough expertise in metabololipidomic profiling, Ambiotis developed and validated a LC-MS/MS method to monitor the response to inflammation of skin explants and their ability to initiate resolution programs. 


Gattefossé and Ambiotis now share technology, expertise and know-how to explore the mechanisms of skin inflammation resolution during ageing. Skin produces bioactive mediators that regulate induction, propagation and resolution of inflammation. Specialized Pro-resolving lipid Mediators (SPMs) are of special importance for an effective resolution of inflammation. Ambiotis and Gattefossé found out that endogenous resolution programs of inflammation were defective in aged skin. Both the dysregulation of lipid pathways and the absence of pro-resolving mediators (e.g. lipoxins) likely lead to an unresolved inflammation in aged skin. 


“Resolution of inflammation is a complete paradigm shift in the field of inflammation. The discovery of SPMs and their role in the last decade has indeed changed the view to solve inflammatory processes: boosting resolution circuits appears a powerful strategy to rectify chronic inflammatory status,” said Ambiotis CEO Marc Dubourdeau. “Different approaches can be developed: agonists of resolution targets, mimetics of SPMs… Our company has dedicated its research to the validation of assays to help our partners develop ingredients with pro-resolution capacities. We are very enthusiastic about this collaboration with Gattefossé.”


According to Dubourdeau, the project on skin will open new perspectives for dermo-cosmetic applications. Researchers at Gattefossé agree. 


“By performing metabololipidomic profiling of young vs. old skins, followed by a statistical approach using principal component analysis, we have been able to identify the defective elements responsible for unresolved inflammation in aged skins,” said Nicolas Bechetoille, skin biology research manager, Gattefossé, “Our research highlights the need of a new strategy to develop anti-inflammatory molecules, rather focused on boosting resolution than on decreasing inflammation.”


This work will be presented at the 2018 International Investigative Dermatology, May 16-19 in Orlando, Florida, US.