Beneficial Effect of a Thermal Spring Water on the Skin Barrier Recovery after Injury: Evidence for Claudin-6 Expression in Human Skin

Francine Joly, Cécile Gardille, Eric Barbieux, Luc Lefeuvre

Laboratoire SEPhRAPHARMA, Puteaux, France.
Laboratoires Dermatologiques d’Uriage, Siège Social, Courbevoie, France.

DOI: 10.4236/jcdsa.2012.24052                

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the possible advantages of dermo-cosmetic products formulated with thermal spring water instead of deionized water. We studied the effect of a dermo-cosmetic product on skin barrier recovery after injury. In one test the product was formulated with de-ionized water and again using the identical product formulated with thermal spring water. Study Design/Methods: Stratum corneum of human skin explants was removed (and not removed for the control) with an ether/acetone mixture. A cosmetic product, either formulated with de-ionized or thermal spring water, was then topically applied on the explants. After a 5-day incubation period, epidermal expression of aquaporine-3, filaggrin, claudin-4 and claudin-6 was studied by using immunohistochemical techniques. Results: The formulation containing de-ionized water seemed to act on the epidermal expression of filaggrin and claudin-4. When thermal spring water was used to make the formulation, we noted that this expression was greatly enhanced. The formulation containing thermal spring water also acted to increase aquaporin-3 and claudin-6 expression. Conclusion: The use of thermal spring water in cosmetic formulations would appear to contribute to the cosmetic product’s efficacy. It was also interesting to note that this study revealed claudin-6 expression in human skin for the first time.

Keywords

Keratinocyte Differentiation; Thermal Spring Water; Barrier Repair; Claudin-4; Claudin-6; Aquaporine 3; Filaggrin

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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