CLINICAL AND LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2007.08364.x Repair of photoaged dermal matrix by topical application of a cosmetic ‘antiageing’ product R.E.B. Watson, S.P. Long,* J.J. Bowden, J.Y. Bastrilles, S.P. Barton* and C.E.M. Griffiths Dermatological Sciences Research Group, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K. *The Boots Company, Nottingham NG2 3AA, U.K. Correspondence R.E.B. Watson. E-mail: rachel.watson@manchester.ac.uk Accepted for publication 17 September 2007 Key words cosmetic, fibrillin, matrix metalloproteinase, photoageing, procollagen I Conflicts of interest S.P.L. and S.P.B. are employed by The Boots Company, the manufacturer of the three commercially available preparations tested in this study. Summary Background Photoaged skin is characterized by coarse and fine wrinkles. The mech- anism of wrinkle formation appears to involve changes to components of the dermal extracellular matrix. Topical treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (RA) can repair photoaged dermal matrix; this is regarded as the ‘gold standard’ against which repair agents are judged. To date, little is known regarding the ability of over-the-counter ‘antiageing’ products to repair photoaged skin. Objectives We used a modified occluded patch test to ascertain whether topical applications of cosmetic ‘antiageing’ products are able to repair photoaged human skin. Methods Commercially available test products [basic moisturizer, ‘antiageing’ cream containing different active complex levels (6% active: lipopentapeptide, white lupin peptides, antioxidants, retinyl palmitate; 2% active: lipopentapeptide, white lupin peptides, antioxidants)] were applied under occlusion for 12 days prior to biopsy and histological assessment in photoaged volunteers (n = 9). RA was used as a positive control. Results In agreement with previous studies, the patch-test study revealed that RA produced significant fibrillin-1 deposition in the papillary dermis (P <0Æ01) but had little effect on procollagen I or matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression. The 6% total active complex formulation, however, increased the deposition of fibril- lin-1 and procollagen I (P <0Æ01, P <0Æ05, respectively). Conclusions This study indicates that in an in vivo 12-day patch test an over- the-counter cosmetic product can induce changes in photoaged dermal extra- cellular matrix, which are indicative of repair. Ageing of the skin can be thought of as two simultaneous processes: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic changes occur as a result of the passage of time and produce characteristic fine wrinkles. 1 Superimposed upon these are changes resulting from exposure to extrinsic or environmental factors. One such factor is chronic sun exposure, resulting in photoage- ing, which by comparison with intrinsic ageing produces coarse, roughened, and deeply wrinkled skin. 2,3 Histologi- cally, skin that is intrinsically aged has an atrophied extracel- lular matrix (ECM) and contains reduced levels of collagen and elastin. 4–6 By comparison, photoaged skin exhibits other, numerous, alterations to the dermal ECM. These include deposition of dystrophic elastic fibres in the dermis, 7 decreased levels of fibrillar collagens types I and III, 8,9 reduced numbers of anchoring fibrils (collagen VII) 10 and loss of the fibrillin-rich microfibrils in the papillary dermis. 11 Levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are increased in both intrinsically and extrinsically aged skin and are major contributors to the remodelling of the dermal ECM in both conditions. 12–14 Currently, the medical treatment of choice for photoaged skin is topical application of retinoids. 15 Previous studies have shown that application of topical all-trans retinoic acid (RA) to photoaged skin partially restores levels of collagens I and VII (anchoring fibrils), reduces MMP-1 expression and ameliorates some of the clinical features such as wrinkles. 8,16–20 In add- ition, treatment with RA partially restores the fibrillin-rich microfibrillar network of the papillary dermis. 21 Using a short-term occluded patch-test protocol in human skin, we have shown that fibrillin is a useful biomarker of dermal repair in photoaged skin and may be predictive of successful repair in long-term clinical studies. 21 Ó 2007 The Authors 472 Journal Compilation Ó 2007 British Association of Dermatologists • British Journal of Dermatology 2008 158, pp472–477