[Activation of skin cells by inorganic compounds]

Yakugaku Zasshi. 1997 Nov;117(10-11):825-35. doi: 10.1248/yakushi1947.117.10-11_825.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

It has been known that the stimulation of skin cells by physiologically active substances is accompanied by the quantitative and qualitative alterations of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in skin. This phenomenon make it possible to evaluate the activity of test substances for the stimulation of skin cells. The purpose of our study is to elucidate the effectiveness of inorganic compounds for the stimulation of skin cells. (1) The cultured skin cells including keratinocytes and fibroblasts, (2) the cultured model skin constituted of collagen gel, fibroblasts and keratinocytes, and (3) the mouse damaged skin were used in the present study. The results obtained from these studies demonstrate that inorganic substances commonly have a possibility to activate cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase), and the A-kinase activation results in an increase in GAGs. These findings brought the scientific basis for the effectiveness of the Japanese traditional balneotherapy for damaged skin.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Balneology
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Ferrous Compounds / pharmacology*
  • Fibroblasts / cytology
  • Glycosaminoglycans / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Inorganic Chemicals / pharmacology*
  • Keratinocytes / cytology
  • Mice
  • Skin / cytology*
  • Skin / metabolism

Substances

  • Ferrous Compounds
  • Glycosaminoglycans
  • Inorganic Chemicals
  • ferrous sulfate
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases