New solution for brighter and younger skin

Skin senescence is visually characterised by a loss of freshness, a loss of radiance and a decrease in complexion homogeneity. Skin senescence is internally caused by a loss of regeneration capacities, a loss of defence capacities and an increase in cellular senescence. Fighting against skin senescence necessitated finding the most sophisticated photo-protection mechanism. The skin is the constant target of active forms of oxygen generated by UV radiation exposure. In this way, the skin needs to reinforce antioxidant defence mechanisms to protect itself against cell damage. The defence strategies include the thioredoxin reductase/thioredoxin system.1 Thioredoxin is one of the major constituents of the thiol reduction system: it has a dithiol-disulfide oxido-reductase activity.2 The thiol group gives thioredoxin antioxidant properties by protecting the mitochondrial membrane against oxidation. Thioredoxin protects cells against the cytotoxicity produced by free radicals (hydrogen peroxide)3 and by some molecules produced during inflammation (TNF alpha). Thioredoxin plays multiple roles in cell processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis.4 It favours bonding with DNA transcription factors (e.g. NF-kappa B5, AP-1, p53 and PEB26). Thioredoxin has an important role in the regeneration of the reduced form of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which has an antioxidant power when it is in its reduced form7 and which is a collagen stimulator. There are two types of thioredoxin which each occur in different areas: TX1 is cytosolic and TX2 is mitochondrial. Thioredoxins are the best preserved and most elaborate photo-protection mechanism ever created. They are widely distributed and highly conserved. We can find them extensively in humans, animals, plants and marine bacteria (including primitive bacteria which are responsible for the development of life on Earth).8 Phormidium persicinum, from the family of blue micro-algae, appeared 3.8 billion years ago and belongs to the species that contributed to the build up of Earth’s atmosphere and the development of life on Earth. It is organised in mucilageproducing colonies that generate geological formations called “stromatoliths” (from the Greek “stroma”, for carpet and “lithos”, stone). To fight against stressful environmental conditions and to ensure its longevity through billions of years, Phormidium persicinum has synthesised a thioredoxin system very similar to those of humans. The growth of stromatolite is very slow: 0.4 mm per year and the process is now well understood. So, the team at Codif International decided more than 10 years ago to find a source of Phormidium persicinum. As it was impossible to extract it from stromatolites (due to protection and very slow growth), the team decided to contact microbial mat specialists. They found a place where Phormidium persicinum was isolated in 1954 by Giovanni Provasoli at Woods Hole in Massachusetts. He isolated it from microbial mats in a place where the first steps of stromatolites formations were observed: Sippewisset Salt Marsh in Woods Hole. This discovery and the pure blue algae (cyanobacteria) were carefully preserved in UTEX: the culture collection of algae in the University of Texas. The team bought a sample from the bank of algae (Fig. 1) and started to grow it in bioreactors (Fig. 2): we developed cuttingedge biotechnological tools to extract Phormidium persicinum from a natural environment without altering its remarkable capacities that have ensured its longevity and durability for billions of years. A concentrate of original life was therefore obtained, to stimulate thioredoxin synthesis in human skin and delay skin senescence. This was the start of an incredible discovery: the reason why Phormidium went through the ages without changing thanks to the production of thioredoxin, one of the most ancient enzymes, the one that we find in every human cell, in particular, skin. An extract of Phormidium persicinum was developed, diluted to 50% in glycerin, without preservative, and called Phormiskin Bioprotech G. This paper presents the main results obtained with this extract on human skin (in vitro) and volunteers (in vivo).

Results

In vitro test: stimulating thioredoxins expression