Increased pro-collagen 1, elastin, and TGF-β1 expression by copper ions in an ex-vivo human skin model

Clinical studies demonstrated that continued exposure to copper oxide-embedded textiles, such as pillowcases, significantly reduces depth of facial wrinkles and skin sagging and enhances skin elasticity.

Study the mechanisms by which the exposure to copper ions improve the well-being of the skin.

Human skin explants, cultured ex-vivo, were exposed topically to saline alone or saline containing 0.02 or 1 µmol/L copper ions. The skin explants viability, histology and secretion of elastin, pro-collagen 1, and TGF-β1 to the culture medium were determined at various time intervals.

Exposure to saline containing 0.02 or 1 µmol/L copper ions did not affect the viability or morphological profile of the explants as compared to control explants treated with saline only. Notably, exposure of the skin grafts to 0.02 or to 1 µmol/L of copper ions resulted in ~100% and ~20% increases in elastin and pro-collagen 1 concentrations, respectively, in the culture supernatants already after 1 day of incubation, which remained statistically significantly elevated also after 6 days on incubation, as compared to the control explants. In addition, ~2- and ~4-fold increases in TGF-ß1 levels in the culture supernatants of explants exposed to the copper ions were detected after 4 and 6 days of culture, as compared to the explants exposed to saline alone.

This study substantiated the anti-aging effect that copper ions have on the skin and gave insights into the mechanisms by which exposure of the skin to copper ions improves the skin well-being.