P&G Omics Research Yielding Breakthrough Skin, Hair Technologies

Procter & Gamble researchers are spearheading a number of research strategies under the scientific banner of “omics” that are leading to breakthrough discoveries in the science of skin and hair.

P&G discussed those research strategies in a series of symposia at the 2011 World Congress of Dermatology meeting in Seoul, South Korea in late May, according to the firm, which has since provided more details about omics research and the beauty and grooming “puzzles” that it seeks to solve.

Omics is an umbrella term to cover genomics, the study of gene activity and expression; proteomics, the study of proteins; and metabolomics, the study of how changes in genes and proteins translate to biochemical processes inside cells.

During a June 22 interview with “The Rose Sheet,” P&G Principal Scientists Mary Johnson and Jay Tiesman discussed how the science is helping them tackle beauty conundrums, such as the root causes of skin and hair aging, as well as dandruff.

They say the findings are spurring the development of new formula technologies, and eventually beauty and grooming products that are increasingly “customized” to the needs of consumers.

“In general, from these studies on thousands of women, we learn more and more about how women group into certain categories at the molecular level,” Tiesman said.

“We're getting to the point that I think there's a lot of exciting things on the horizon and if all the stars align properly, there could be products coming out in the not too distant future,” Tiesman added.

Asked whether those products would be categorized as cosmetics, over-the-counter products or prescription items from a regulatory standpoint, Johnson said it could be a mixed bag.

“We may identify some that can lead to products that can be used exclusively by dermatologists and doctors as Rx; some OTC, but many will work cosmetically,” she said, noting Olay Professional Pro-X is one product that stems from the research.

P&G Leads Omics In Beauty Realm

Though omics was born out of research in the medical field, P&G's early adoption of technologies related to the science has established the company as an authority in the beauty field, the firm says.

P&G, which has published more than 40 papers in the areas of genomics, has in-house expertise and research “facilities that parallel top universities,” the firm says in a “Research Update” document it distributed during the World Congress meeting.

Earlier this year, the firm announced a partnership with the Institute for Systems Biology, a Seattle-based biotech research firm, to explore the biological mechanisms involved in skin aging ( (Also see "P&G Genomics Collaboration Marks “Investment In Future” Of Anti-Aging" - HBW Insight, 21 Feb, 2011.) ).

Key to the firm's success in omics research is its use and application of the latest technologies, the company says in its update document.

The company has made significant strides in its research with the use of a chip array technology, which allows scientists to analyze hundreds of genes at one time, “leading to exciting insights into the molecular pathways associated with common concerns in skin and hair biology,” the firm notes.

Looking ahead, P&G is exploring the use of a “next generation” sequencing method which it calls digital gene expression profiling, which allows researchers to simultaneously categorize an extensive number of genes and “provide greater biological insights with more efficiency and greater accuracy.”

Anti-Aging Discoveries

In its update document, P&G demonstrates how the use of omics helps it tackle aging skin in ways that weren't available under traditional cosmetic approaches.

For example, research has shown that the perception of skin age and attractiveness in a person's face is highly dependent on select molecular features, such as even topography or little color contrast.

“If all the stars align properly, there could be products coming out in the not too distant future.” – P&G Principal Scientist Jay Tiesman.

The beauty industry’s approach has always been to cover up blemishes or discoloration with topical formulas that simply give the appearance of even skin, P&G says.

However, through omics, researchers can use specialized genomic technologies that “help identify the biological factors that govern the visual assessment of age,” the company says.

So, unlike cosmetics that topically mask the skin's coloring, omics is allowing the development of interventions that target the stratum corneum, the outer layer of the epidermis, thus helping to standardize the appearance of skin color, according to the company.

New Wrinkles To Old Wrinkles

P&G is employing the latest omics-related technology in its study of aging skin, Johnson explained.

Recently, the firm employed the chip array technology to analyze the skin of young and older women. The firm mapped the gene expression profiles associated with chronological (intrinsic) aging versus those associated with combined chronological and photo-aging.

In comparing those profiles, the researchers identified the molecular pathways that influence the aging process.

“One of the unique insights we found is photoaging at the molecular level looks a lot like intrinsic aging, but it's just accelerated,” said Johnson. That finding provided a “clear and focused” set of targets to help identify new ingredients for topical skin care products, according to P&G.

In a 2008 study led by P&G scientist Greg G. Hillebrand, researchers also used omics to make headway in the understanding of wrinkles and age spots in women.

The study, presented at the American Academy of Dermatology in 2008, was a comprehensive skin survey that involved more than 450 Chinese women.

Researchers were surprised to find that some skin responds to UV damage by producing extra melanin, which can actually be a benefit when it comes to wrinkles.

The application of omics can reveal, for example, “what makes a person susceptible to dandruff.” – P&G Principal Scientist Mary Johnson

“Some women don't produce excess collagen,” to create age spots, so those subjects actually wrinkle more, Johnson said. That finding could lead to products that address women with skin that either spots or wrinkles, or both, suggests the company.

Gender Differences

While most research in skin care has focused on female skin, omics is allowing researchers to look more effectively at the differences between male and female skin, according to P&G.

So far they have found that male skin is generally more “stressed” than female skin due to inflammation from shaving, differences in grooming habits such as less frequent use of moisturizers and sunscreens, and male-associated occupations that expose them to environmental stressors.

Additionally, the science has uncovered that male skin biology “seems to have a unique response to environmental impacts, such as increased sensitivity to UV compared with females, slower wound healing and higher basal blood flow, and in many cases, a lower tolerance to pain and cold,” P&G says.

The company notes that males may experience greater UV radiation-induced immunosuppression due to differences in hormones.

P&G scientists have tested male skin with a 5% niacinamide moisturizing cream that can block early events associated with UV-induced carcinomas when applied topically before or after sun exposure.

Though the firm didn't expand on whether it would launch products directly as a result of its findings or the effectiveness of the moisturizing cream, it did note in its update that the “unique impact of genetic differences and environmental influences” in men underscores the need for a tailored approach in male skin care in order to maintain a healthy skin condition and appearance.

P&G is filing patents on a number of technologies related to their anti-aging skin care.

Solving Hair “Puzzles”

Johnson also discussed the major strides the company has taken in research into the causes of dandruff.

Though dandruff affects half the human population, until recently there has been little understanding of the molecular factors that cause it.

In its update document, P&G notes that scientists from P&G Beauty & Grooming sequenced the complete genome for Malassezia globosa, a naturally occurring fungus that is present in every person, yet was suspected of causing dandruff in a select population.

P&G scientists found that the fungus comprises more than 4,000 genes. Using DNA sequencing technology, the researchers identified the yeast as the actual culprit that causes dandruff.

Researchers found that the yeast feeds off the oily secretions (sebum) of the scalp and deposits acids on the scalp skin, including oleic acid, “an irritating fatty acid that inflames the scalp and causes the skin cells to turn over much faster than normal.”

While the effort was originally undertaken to unlock the mechanism behind dandruff, the results have opened new doors in the development and enhancement of treatment for dandruff, P&G says.

Following the sequencing, P&G used the gene chips to analyze transcriptomic profiles, revealing more than 7,000 individual genes that were expressed differently in dandruff skin relative to normal skin.

The application of omics can reveal, for example, “what makes a person susceptible to dandruff,” Johnson said, noting P&G is in the process of filing patents related to its dandruff findings.

Finally, P&G researchers have unlocked some mysteries in the aging of hair through the application of proteomics. In developing a better understanding of proteins in the hair follicle, researchers have come to understand the important role of “architecture” in overall health and appearance of the hair shaft.

Though hair loses protein over time as a person ages, the protein loss tends to accelerate with damage, particularly from bleaching.

“Analyzing proteins helps evaluate and fingerprint the extent of hair damage at the molecular level,” P&G says in its update. That is a key insight that is “driving novel research to target specific proteins as well as identify the impact of other factors, such as UV light, in the development of products.

By Eileen Francis