Identification of Yellow Advanced Glycation End Products in Human Skin

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Dermatology
• Cosmetic Science

Background:

• Skin yellowness is associated with dull or unhealthy skin, particularly in Asian populations.
• Previous studies suggested a link between skin glycation and yellowness, but specific causative agents were unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the specific glycated chemicals responsible for yellowish skin appearance.
• To investigate potential cosmetic solutions for reducing skin yellowness.

Main Methods:

• High-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-PDA-HRMS) was used.
• Analysis was performed on native and artificially glycated human epidermal explant skin.
• The presence of identified compounds was confirmed in cultured human keratinocytes and 3D reconstructed human epidermal (RHE) models.

Main Results:

• The intensely yellow glycated chromophore AGEY ( (1R, 8aR) and (1S, 8aR)-4-(2-furyl)-7-[(2-furyl)-methylidene]-2-hydroxy-2H,7H,8AH-pyrano-[2,3-B]-pyran-3-one) was identified in human skin for the first time.
• AGEY abundance strongly correlated with skin yellowness.
• A combination of four anti-glycation cosmetic compounds reduced AGEY formation and skin yellowness in RHE models.

Conclusions:

• Specific advanced glycation end products (AGEs), namely AGEY, have been identified as a significant contributor to skin yellowness.
• A cosmetic strategy targeting AGEY formation shows promise in reducing skin yellowness.