3D GLYCAging Skin

What is it About?

Glycation is one of the major processes responsible for skin aging through induction of the detrimental formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).

AGEs alter skin physiology by impairing deposition, organization and physicochemical properties of dermal extracellular matrix as well as affecting epidermal keratinocyte differentiation.

3D GLYCAging Skin is a new and unique glycated full-thickness skin equivalent model with a continuous cellular induction of AGEs production during its full reconstruction in order to reproduce as close as possible the in vivo situation.

3D GLYCAging Skin, a chronic glycation induced at cellular level

Studies about glycation employing skin tissue-engineering strategies rely on 3D constructs based on preglycated collagen further seeded with skin cells. The major limitation of these models is that only the ECM proteins are glycated, whereas glycation exerts direct effects on cells and their cytoskeleton.

Therefore, LabSkin Creations' team developed 3D GLYCAging model: a new cell culture system with a continuous long-term induction of AGEs formation at cellular level using an optimized treatment with glyoxal/methylglyoxal mixture.

3D GLYCAging skin model exhibits an altered epidermal differentiation with fewer differentiated layers and a reduction of ECM dermal deposition. Treatment with aminoguanidine causes an attenuation of this phenomena resulting in a phenotype that closely resembles the non glycated control.

Our continuous glycation protocole induces expression of carboxymethyllysine in dermal and epidermal compartments and, consequently, an aging phenotype consisting of poor stratification of epidermal layers and poor deposition of dermal matrix.

A responsive model to reverse the effect of glycation damages

AGEs production in skin cells is known to promote stiffness and loss of elasticity through their buildup in connective tissue. When glycated, cytoskeleton of fibroblasts is reorganized and vimentin appears as a specific target.

LabSkin glycation protocole induces a signifiant modification of the expression of the main ECM-related proteins in 3D, which can be reversed by the addition of aminoguanidine demonstrating the functionality of 3D GLYCAging skin model.

Melanogenesis and AGE, the ultimate innovation in the glycation field

Besides their role in aging, AGEs promote melanogenesis and significantly influences skin pigmentation. Therefore, LabSkin Creations steps further by developing a pigmented glycated 3D skin model to study the impact of AGEs on melanogenesis.