Extracellular vesicles, which are highly conserved in most cells, contain biologically active substances. The vesicles and substances interact with cells and impact physiological mechanisms. The skin is the most external organ and is in direct contact with the external environment. Photoaging and skin damage are caused by extrinsic factors. The formation of wrinkles is a major indicator of skin aging and is caused by a decrease in collagen and hyaluronic acid. MMP-1 expression is also increased. Due to accruing damage, skin aging reduces the ability of the skin barrier, thereby lowering the skin’s ability to contain water and increasing the amount of water loss. L. plantarum suppresses various harmful bacteria by secreting an antimicrobial substance. L. plantarum is also found in the skin, and research on the interactions between the bacteria and the skin is in progress. Although several studies have investigated L. plantarum, there are only a limited number of studies on extracellular vesicles (EV) derived from L. plantarum, especially in relation to skin aging. Herein, we isolated EVs that were secreted from L. plantarum of women in their 20s (LpEVs). We then investigated the effect of LpEVs on skin aging in CCD986sk. We showed that LpEVs modulated the mRNA expression of ECM related genes in vitro. Furthermore, LpEVs suppressed wrinkle formation and pigmentation in clinical trials. These results demonstrated that LpEVs have a great effect on skin aging by regulating ECM related genes. In addition, our study offers important evidence on the depigmentation effect of LpEVs.

The binding of sphingoid bases to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) has been detected in a solid-phase binding assay. However, sphingoid base-induced changes in PPAR transactivation activity have not been examined. In this report, we show by reporter gene analyses that phytosphingosine (PS), a natural sphingoid base, activates the transcriptional activity of PPARs in the immortalized human keratinocyte, HaCaT. Real-time PCR analyses showed that the mRNA level of PPARgamma was increased after PS treatment in HaCaT cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Because PPARs play important roles in skin barrier homeostasis by regulating epidermal cell growth, terminal differentiation, and inflammatory response, we examined the effect of PS on normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) and mouse skin. PS increased the production of cornified envelope in NHEKs by approximately 1.8-fold compared with controls. Epidermal differentiation marker proteins such as involucrin, loricrin, and keratin1 were also increased in PS-treated NHEKs, by ELISA or Western blotting analysis. A [(3)H]thymidine incorporation assay showed that PS inhibited DNA synthesis in NHEKs to 20% compared with controls. The antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of PS were examined in a mouse model of irritant contact dermatitis produced by topical application of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). PS blocked epidermal thickening and edema and the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the dermis in the skin of TPA-treated hairless mice. The anti-inflammatory effects of PS were confirmed by the observation that PS blocked the TPA-induced generation of prostaglandin E(2) in peripheral mononuclear leukocytes. Taken together, our results provide an insight into the multiple regulatory roles of PS in epidermal homeostasis, and furthermore point to the potential use of PS as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of inflammatory and proliferative cutaneous diseases.

Green tea supplementation has beneficial health effects. However, its underlying mechanisms, such as effects on modulating the intestinal microbiome and endogenous metabolome, particularly following short-term supplementation, are largely unclear. We conducted an integrative metabolomics study to evaluate the effects of short-term (7-day) supplementation of green tea extract (GTE) or its components, epigallocatechin gallate, caffeine, and theanine, on the caecum microbiota and caecum/skin metabolome in mice. Further, we established an integrative metabolome-microbiome model for correlating gut and skin findings. The effects of short-term supplementation with dietary compounds were evaluated with respect to UV stress response, with GTE showing the most remarkable effects. Biplot analysis revealed that Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus spp. were considerably influenced by short-term GTE supplementation, while Clostridium butyricum was significantly increased by UV stress without supplementation. GTE supplementation helped the skin metabolome defend against UV stress. Interestingly, a significant positive correlation was observed between caecum bacteria (Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus spp.) and metabolites including skin barrier function-related skin metabolites, caecal fatty acids, and caecal amino acids. Overall, 7-day GTE supplementation was sufficient to alter the gut microbiota and endogenous caecum/skin metabolome, with positive effects on UV stress response, providing insight into the mechanism of the prebiotic effects of GTE supplementation.