Phototoxicity and skin damage: A review of adverse effects of some furocoumarins found in natural extracts.

The phototoxicological effects of furocoumarins have been extensively studied. In association with UVA, some of these natural constituents of botanical isolates used in cosmetics, can be photoirritant, photogenotoxic and/or photocarcinogenic. Importantly, not all furocoumarins share the same degree of potency and some are inactive.

Grouping of chemicals for safety assessment: the importance of toxicokinetic properties of salicylate esters.

Grouping of chemicals has been proposed as a strategy to speed up the screening and identification of potential substances of concern among the broad chemical universe under REACH. Such grouping is usually based on shared structural features and should only be used for the prioritization objectives. However, additional considerations (as well as structural similarity) are needed, e.

In vitro to in vivo extrapolation to derive a metabolism factor for estimating the aggregate exposure to salicylic acid after dermal exposure of its esters.

As part of the safety assessment of salicylate esters in cosmetics, we developed a metabolism factor based on in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) to provide a better estimation of the aggregate internal exposure to the common metabolite, salicylic acid. Optimal incubation conditions using human liver S9 were identified before measuring salicylic acid formation from 31 substances. Four control substances, not defined as salicylic esters but which could be mistaken as such due to their nomenclature, did not form salicylic acid.

Expansion of the Cosmetics Europe skin sensitisation database with new substances and PPRA data.

The assessment of skin sensitisation is a key requirement in all regulated sectors, with the European Union's regulation of cosmetic ingredients being most challenging, since it requires quantitative skin sensitisation assessment based on new approach methodologies (NAMs). To address this challenge, an in-depth and harmonised understanding of NAMs is fundamental to inform the assessment. Therefore, we compiled a database of NAMs, and in vivo (human and local lymph node assay) reference data.

Identifying a reference list of respiratory sensitizers for the evaluation of novel approaches to study respiratory sensitization.

The induction of immunological responses that trigger bio-physiological symptoms in the respiratory tract following repeated exposure to a substance, is known as respiratory sensitization. The inducing compound is known as a respiratory sensitizer. While respiratory sensitization by high molecular weight (HMW) materials is recognized and extensively studied, much less information is available regarding low molecular weight (LMW) materials as respiratory sensitizers.

Development of a next generation risk assessment framework for the evaluation of skin sensitisation of cosmetic ingredients.

All cosmetic products placed onto the market must undergo a risk assessment for human health to ensure they are safe for consumers, including an assessment of skin sensitisation risk. Historically, in vivo animal test methods were used to identify and characterise skin sensitisation hazard, however non-animal and other new approach methodologies (NAMs) are now the preferred and mandated choice for use in risk assessment for cosmetic ingredients. The experience gained over the last three decades on how to conduct risk assessments based upon NAMs has allowed us to develop a non-animal, next generation risk assessment (NGRA) framework for the assessment of skin sensitisers.

NF-kappaB plays a major role in the maturation of human dendritic cells induced by NiSO(4) but not by DNCB.

Dendritic cell (DC) activation is a critical event for the induction of an immune response to haptens. Although signaling pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family members have been reported to play a role in DC activation by haptens, little is known about the implication of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) pathway. In this work, we showed that NiSO(4) induced the expression of HLA-DR, CD83, CD86, and CD40 and the production of interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, and IL-12p40 in human DCs, whereas DNCB induced mainly the expression of CD83 and CD86 and the production of IL-8.

Implication of the MAPK pathways in the maturation of human dendritic cells induced by nickel and TNF-alpha.

After application of haptens to the skin, immature dendritic cells (DC), also named Langerhans cells (LC), come into a maturation process, which include disappearance of specific molecules such as E-cadherin and Langerin and the expression of new molecules such as CD83, CD86 and CCR7. The involvement of p38 MAPK in DC maturation induced by haptens and TNF-alpha has already been shown, however, the role of the other MAPK, ERK and JNK, is less described. In this study, we demonstrated on human CD34(+)-derived DC that the three MAPK are participating to the expression of CD83, CD86 and CCR7 induced by nickel (NiSO(4)) but not to the down-regulation of E-cadherin and Langerin.

Nickel and DNCB induce CCR7 expression on human dendritic cells through different signalling pathways: role of TNF-alpha and MAPK.

After application of haptens on the skin, immature dendritic cells (DC), also named Langerhans cells (LC), migrate to the draining lymph node to sensitize naïve T-lymphocytes. Migration of DC involves many factors including the Cys-Cys chemokine receptor, CCR7. We investigated the effects of two well-known haptens, dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) and nickel (NiSO(4)), on the expression of CCR7 on human DC derived from CD34(+) progenitor cells.