Ex Vivo Evaluation of Skin Permeability Enhancement Using TargetCool in Human-Derived Skin Tissue Models

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• The stratum corneum acts as a major barrier to effective transdermal drug delivery.
• TargetCool, a novel cooling-assisted delivery device, is designed to overcome this barrier.
• Potential synergistic effects exist when TargetCool is combined with microneedling devices (Turtle pin and MTS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of TargetCool in enhancing the skin permeability of Acetyl Hexapeptide-8-FITC.
• To compare the performance of TargetCool alone versus in combination with microneedling devices.
• To evaluate the safety profile of TargetCool on human skin ex vivo.

Main Methods:

• An ex vivo human skin model (Korean female donors, 50-70 years) was used.
• Skin samples were treated with Acetyl Hexapeptide-8-FITC and assigned to six groups: control, microneedling alone (Turtle pin 0.5 mm, MTS 1.5 mm), microneedling with TargetCool, and TargetCool alone.
• Skin samples were cultured for 24 hours, followed by histological analysis (H&E, DAPI staining) and microscopy to quantify fluorescence intensity and penetration depth.

Main Results:

• No significant structural damage was observed across all treatment groups.
• TargetCool combined with microneedling (Turtle pin and MTS) resulted in the highest fluorescence intensity increases (1272% and 1000%, respectively) compared to control.
• Penetration depth was significantly increased, with the combination of MTS and TargetCool showing the greatest enhancement (47.75%).

Conclusions:

• TargetCool substantially improves the transdermal delivery and penetration depth of Acetyl Hexapeptide-8-FITC in ex vivo human skin.
• The combination of TargetCool with microneedling devices offers a synergistic effect for enhanced drug delivery.
• These findings suggest TargetCool's potential for clinical applications in dermatology and aesthetic treatments.