DNA-based skincare: Researchers study gene data to develop personalized formulations

04 Nov 2022 --- UK-based researchers may have found an answer to improve personalized approaches in skincare using interactive gene networks and cellular responses to ultraviolet rays (UVR) and oxidative stress.

The research highlights that human characteristics such as variation in skin pigmentation can be attributed to “more than 125 genes involved in the synthesis of melanin.” The degree of pigment in the human body decides the skin’s color and the level of protection against UVR and photodamage.

“Lighter skin types are more prone to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), loss of elastic fibers and thinning of the epidermis, which is considered a sign of extrinsic aging induced by the environment,” the research details.

With DNA-based technologies and hyper-personalization paving the way for the future of beauty, this research could aid in designing skin products based on specific demands by identifying the biomarkers and molecular signatures expressed in skin cells of different ethnic backgrounds.

“The future of skin analysis for cosmetic and therapeutic interventions will ultimately depend on rapid methods for collecting data for larger cohort studies and validating in-silico models. Such screening methods likely require a more accurate analysis and prediction using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) platform technologies,” the study, published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, says. 

The degree of pigment in the human body decides the level of protection against UVR and photodamage.Genetic variants translating to skin phenotypes
The researchers studied a group of 37 biomarkers affected by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP).

SNP have been identified in several of the genes responsible for maintaining the skin’s structural, biochemical and metabolic properties and is caused by deleting or replacing a nucleotide, resulting in altered alternative forms in the gene’s locus.

“Evaluation of the SNP-affected gene networks and likely sensitivities of skin cells can provide a valuable tool for the design and formulation of personalized skin products that match more accurately diverse ethnic backgrounds,” the researchers summarized.

The study combined the applications of in-silico screening and gene network analysis with the in-vitro cellular assays utilizing a quantitative analytical approach.

The researchers intended to expand on the interaction of SNP with genes involved in the melanogenesis pathway in each skin type – European, Asian and African – using a literature search of the genes affected by SNPs uncovered in genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

Biological differences in skin color
Lighter skin reflectance is frequently accompanied by sensitivity to the sun and decreased tanning abilities. SNPs in melanogenic genes could have an additional impact on vitamin D deficiency. The results revealed that European skin also harbors SNPs in the genes involved in redox homeostasis, hydration and skin elasticity.

Meanwhile, Asian skin harbors SNPs in the genes regulating constitutive pigmentation. Some factors associated with darker phenotypes in Asian skin are the fixed alleles of the melanogenic genes involved in UVR response, such as damage-specific DNA binding protein.

SNPs are also present in the genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism and oxidative stress, skin barrier permeability and trans-epidermal water loss.

The study stated high melanin index in African skin is linked to the fixed alleles within the genes responsible for constitutive pigmentation and UVR responses.

“Skin color is directly associated with not only the ability to regulate pigmentation, expressly, tanning, in response to the environment but also with the individual sensitivities to UVR and UVR-induced damage,” the study underscores.

“It is therefore likely that different skin types would be characterized by diverse cellular responses to several extrinsic factors, including genotoxic stress.”

The researchers also studied the diverse patterns in European, Asian and African skin using dermal fibroblasts. They revealed that one characteristic associated with genotype-phenotype correlations could be significant compartmentalization affecting the distribution of specific traits across skin ethnicity.

“Based on the genes involved, these characteristics would likely concentrate around pigmentation in European skin; pigmentation, inflammation, barrier and oxidative stress in Asian skin and epidermal integrity and barrier homeostasis in African skin,” the study states.The SNP-based DNA analysis offers a novel approach to personalized skincare.

Study applications in skincare
The SNP-based DNA analysis offers a novel approach to personalized skincare. Developing genetically guided, individual skincare products relies on innovation defining specific traits to achieve optimal long-term skin health.

“A personal profile based on genetic signatures can highlight the complex biomolecular networks and specific requirements to enhance individual characteristics and ameliorate undesirable problems,” the researchers note.

The approach based on in-silico analyses can facilitate the search for new personalized skincare cosmetic ingredients. The AI algorithms can be applied to the biomarker characteristics for better resolution of their dynamic interactions with particular emphasis on skin ethnicity.

Such applications could also capture specific changes that can occur due to environmental damage and might represent an adaptive response to stress that constitutes one of the targets for rejuvenation potential.

“The findings are discussed in the broader context of known characteristics and aging patterns of human skin, with the proposal that uncovering genetic traits and specific sensitivities to environmental stress factors could contribute to applications in cosmetic science,” the researchers conclude.

Edited by Radhika Sikaria