Investigating the surfactant antagonism with the Open Source Reconstructed Epidermis (OS-Rep) model.

Area of Science:

• Toxicology
• Dermatology
• In vitro testing

Background:

• In vitro test methods are preferred for skin irritation assessment under EU chemicals legislation.
• In vitro skin models are widely utilized for evaluating chemical and mixture irritation potential.
• Surfactant antagonism, where mixtures are less irritating than individual components, is a known phenomenon.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate surfactant antagonism in in vitro skin models.
• To determine if reconstructed epidermis models can replicate the reduced irritation potential of surfactant mixtures.
• To explore the mechanism behind surfactant antagonism in skin models.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Open Source Reconstructed Epidermis (OS-REp) models.
• Assessed the skin irritation potential of single surfactants and their mixtures.
• Measured fluorescein permeation to evaluate skin barrier integrity.

Main Results:

• Surfactant mixtures (sodium dodecyl sulfate/linear alkylbenzene sulfonate with cocoamidopropyl betain/alkyl polyglycosid) exhibited lower irritation potential compared to individual surfactants.
• The observed antagonism was primarily attributed to a reduced damage to the skin model's barrier.
• Reduced fluorescein permeation indicated compromised skin barrier function in mixtures.

Conclusions:

• In vitro reconstructed epidermis models can successfully demonstrate surfactant antagonism.
• Surfactant antagonism in these models is linked to a diminished impact on skin barrier integrity.
• This finding supports the use of in vitro skin models for assessing complex chemical interactions like surfactant antagonism.