Spectroscopic studies of pH induced changes in stratum corneum lipid bilayer organization

COLL 312

David J. Moore and Steven Caso. Unilever Research, 45 River Road, Edgewater, NJ 07020
The barrier function of human skin primarily resides in the stacks of lipid bilayers that constitute the continuous phase of the outer epidermis, the stratum corneum. Disruption of lipid organization, which can be induced by a variety of internal and external stresses, including changes in pH or exposure to harsh surfactants, can lead to compromised barrier function. This laboratory has developed a variety of infrared (IR) spectroscopic approaches to investigate lipid organization, and phase behavior, in self-assembling SC mimetic systems and ex vivo SC. This presentation will describe recent IR spectroscopy studies of SC lipid organization and changes in molecular organization that occur as a consequence of pH changes. Conformational order and SC lipid Tm are altered at higher pH resulting in a SC that has more crystalline phases. This presentation will describe these IR spectroscopic approaches to studying SC lipid behavior and the changes induced by pH.