John W. Lyga

Novel Virtual Screening Approach for the Discovery of Human Tyrosinase Inhibitors

Tyrosinase is the key enzyme involved in the human pigmentation process, as well as the undesired browning of fruits and vegetables. Compounds inhibiting tyrosinase catalytic activity are an important class of cosmetic and dermatological agents which show high potential as depigmentation agents used for skin lightening. The multi-step protocol employed for the identification of novel tyrosinase inhibitors incorporated the Shape Signatures computational algorithm for rapid screening of chemical libraries. This algorithm converts the size and shape of a molecule, as well its surface charge distribution and other bio-relevant properties, into compact histograms (signatures) that lend themselves to rapid comparison between molecules. Shape Signatures excels at scaffold hopping across different chemical families, which enables identification of new actives whose molecular structure is distinct from other known actives. Using this approach, we identified a novel class of depigmentation agents that demonstrated promise for skin lightening product development.

Investigation of age-related decline of microfibril-associated glycoprotein-1 in human skin through immunohistochemistry study

During aging, the reduction of elastic and collagen fibers in dermis can lead to skin atrophy, fragility, and aged appearance, such as increased facial wrinkling and sagging. Microfibril-associated glycoprotein-1 (MAGP-1) is an extracellular matrix protein critical for elastic fiber assembly. It integrates and stabilizes the microfibril and elastin matrix network that helps the skin to endure mechanical stretch and recoil. However, the observation of MAGP-1 during skin aging and its function in the dermis has not been established. To better understand age-related changes in the dermis, we investigated MAGP-1 during skin aging and photoaging, using a combination of in vitro and in vivo studies. Gene expression by microarray was performed using human skin biopsies from young and aged female donors. In addition, immunofluorescence analysis on the MAGP-1 protein was performed in dermal fibroblast cultures and in human skin biopsies. Specific antibodies against MAGP-1 and fibrillin-1 were used to examine protein expression and extracellular matrix structure in the dermis via biopsies from donors of multiple age groups. A reduction of the MAGP-1 gene and protein levels were observed in human skin with increasing age and photoexposure, indicating a loss of the functional MAGP-1 fiber network and a lack of structural support in the dermis. Loss of MAGP-1 around the hair follicle/pore areas was also observed, suggesting a possible correlation between MAGP-1 loss and enlarged pores in aged skin. Our findings demonstrate that a critical “pre-elasticity” component, MAGP-1, declines with aging and photoaging. Such changes may contribute to age-related loss of dermal integrity and perifollicular structural support, which may lead to skin fragility, sagging, and enlarged pores.

UV fluorescence excitation spectroscopy as a non-invasive predictor of epidermal proliferation and clinical performance of cosmetic formulations

The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin and is composed of cells primarily containing keratin. It consists of about ten layers of living cells (keratinocytes) and ten layers of dead cells (corneocytes). These cells are continually shed from the outside and replaced from the inside in a process called desquamation which is controlled by two biological events – proliferation and differentiation. One method to non-invasively study biological changes in the skin is using fluorescence excitation spectroscopy. Several characteristic excitation-emission peaks occur in skin that have been related to the epidermal and dermal composition. The magnitude of the peak that occurs at 295nm excitation (F295) has been linked to changes in skin proliferation, cell turnover, epidermal thickening, and skin aging. We hypothesize that changes in this fluorescent signal could be used to assess the potential activity of cosmetic anti-aging compounds to deliver a benefit to skin. Previous work with retinol and glycolic acid, two commonly used actives that effect epidermal proliferation and exfoliation, has demonstrated an increase in F295 (attributed to tryptophan excitation fluorescence). In this study we present the results of a placebo controlled study that aims to correlate changes in F295 with biological performance (epidermal thickening and Ki67 expression).