D2.306 - Sodium dodecyl sulfate impairs the skin epithelial barrier by inducing oxidative stress in human skin

Impairment of the epithelial barrier function is associated with various allergic and inflammatory skin disorders. Household cleaning products and their primary components, surfactants, have been reported to directly damage the skin barrier in both mice and humans. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying this impairment remain unclear. Our previous studies have shown that electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS, Nevisense®) is an effective, noninvasive tool for assessing skin barrier integrity in both human and mouse skin. Additionally, we recently developed a method to evaluate skin barrier integrity using ex-vivo human skin models (NativeSkin®) with normal skin barrier function. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms of epithelial barrier dysfunction in human skin induced by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS/SLS), a common surfactant used in household cleaning products.

NativeSkin samples were treated with the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The barrier function was evaluated using EIS. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and non-targeted multiplex proteomics analyses were performed on NativeSkin samples. Treatment and preventive effects of N- acetylcysteine (NAC) and nicotinamide (NAM) were investigated in air-liquid interface cultured normal human epidermal keratinocytes and also NativeSkin samples. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured in monolayer cultured primary human keratinocytes.

Percutaneous application of SDS for 1 or 5 minutes resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in EIS values. SDS enhances skin inflammation and immune responses at both mRNA and protein levels. SDS increased skin barrier permeability and induced ROS in keratinocytes. NAC and NAM treatments reduced ROS production and alleviated SDS-induced skin barrier permeability.

In conclusion, we demonstrated that a brief 5-minute exposure to surfactants can significantly damage the skin barrier. Additionally, oxidative stress may play a central role in skin barrier damage induced by SDS. NAC and NAM may exert therapeutic effects on SDS-induced skin barrier damage by inhibiting oxidative stress.