Development of a three-dimensional human skin model for in vitro sensitivity test of drugs, medicines and cosmetics

• Grant number: 12/06575-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biology
• Principal Investigator: Monica Beatriz Mathor
• Grantee: Monica Beatriz Mathor
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The skin is the largest organ in the human body and is the main defense against physical and chemical agents being also essential against water loss on drying. Comprised for two distinct layers, dermis and epidermis, which cells (fibroblasts, keratinocytes, melanocytes and Langerhans) play a key role in contact hypersensitivity. Because tissues sensitivity tests cause pain and discomfort, and the results are not always predictive of those found in humans for allergenicity testing of cosmetics and drugs in general, the great development of cell culture and the capacity of that cultured cells to be rearranged according to the experimental design, it becomes possible to create in vitro dermal-epidermal equivalent. The goal of this work resides in a skin equivalent, composed of fibroblasts, keratinocytes, melanocytes and immature Langerhans cells, for studies on the initial phase of the allergic reaction and skin sensitization process as a whole, having in the creation of such a model, a epidermal substitute to overcoming the need of using animal models. The dermal-epidermal equivalent will be evaluated by histological studies to confirm their morphology and tested by immunohistochemistry and colorimetric MTS test. To perform the proposed objective, fibroblasts, keratinocytes and other cells will be obtained from healthy skin samples donated by Banco de Tecidos do Instituto Central do Hospital das Clinicas (ICHC) of FMUSP with the research purpose. (AU)