Effects of a Topical Anti-aging Formulation on Skin Aging Biomarkers

Objective: Following previous clinical trials, an antiaging product (Restorative Skin complex [RSC]; Alastin Skin Care Carlsbad, a Galderma company), was investigated for its effects on Klotho gene regulation, telomere length, and histological biopsy changes to provide a comprehensive picture of the mechanism and efficacy of its Anti-aging effect.

Methods: Neonatal human fibroblasts were used for telomere length studies to examine the effect of the full RSC formulation and the amino acid components Tripeptide-1 and Hexapeptide-12 (TriHex™) on these cellular aging mechanisms. In addition, RNA Sequencing was conducted using human keratinocytes specifically investigating Klotho and related genes. This was supplemented by a clinical study using biopsy samples.

Results: TriHex™ significantly upregulated the Klotho gene and related FGF23, FGFR1 and FOXO3B Anti-aging genes. Significant telomere shortening reduction over control was demonstrated with the RSC formulation at four weeks and with TriHex™ at six weeks for all percentiles tested. Previous clinical studies demonstrated that the use of the antiaging regimen for 12 weeks produced a statistically significant improvement in scores for all evaluated parameters. Restaining of previous biopsy blocks from the clinical trial revealed positive ECM changes, stimulation of collagen, fibrillin, CD44 and elastin.

Limitations: The study was limited by a relatively small numbers of patients in the clinical trial and the non-competitive nature of the trial.

Conclusion: RSC Anti-aging formulation and its TriHex™ components demonstrated significant reduction in telomere shortening, upregulation of Klotho and FOXO3 genes and biopsy validation of Anti-aging efficacy. This new science supplements previous trials that demonstrated clinical efficacy of the formulation.

Klotho gene; Telomere; anti-aging; elastin; fibrillin.