Laminin 511 Screening Method for Epidermal Stem Cell Stability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to develop a method for promoting or inhibiting the reduction of MCSP-positive epidermal basal stem cells, which decrease with age, affecting skin barrier function and moisture content, and existing methods do not effectively stabilize the epidermal basal membrane.

Innovation Solution

A screening method for laminin 511-expression promoting agents is developed, where the expression level of laminin 511 is used as an index to stabilize the basal membrane, thereby increasing or maintaining the number of MCSP-positive epidermal basal stem cells by inhibiting laminin degradation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If laminin 511 expression is increased to stabilize the basal membrane and increase MCSP-positive epidermal basal stem cells, then skin barrier function and moisture content are improved, but the complexity of screening for such agents increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebasal membrane stabilityVSAvoidscreening method complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex functional assays (measuring basal membrane stability, MCSP-positive cell count, skin barrier function) with a simpler molecular biology-based measurement system. Specifically, it uses mRNA expression levels of laminin α5, β1, and γ1 as proxies for laminin 511 protein expression, which can be measured using standard qRT-PCR techniques. This substitution of measurement methodology reduces screening complexity while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces mRNA expression levels of laminin subunits (α5, β1, γ1) as intermediary markers that mediate between the difficult-to-measure laminin 511 protein expression and the screening process. These mRNA levels serve as surrogate indicators that correlate with functional outcomes (basal membrane stability, stem cell maintenance) without requiring direct measurement of those complex parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the number of MCSP-positive epidermal basal stem cells is increased to prevent skin aging, then skin barrier function and moisture content are improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring these cells increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveskin barrier functionVSAvoidMCSP-positive cell detection
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces direct detection of MCSP-positive cells (which requires immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, or other complex cell-specific detection methods) with mRNA expression measurement of laminin subunits. This substitution transforms a cell-specific detection problem into a bulk tissue molecular measurement problem, significantly reducing detection difficulty while maintaining correlation with skin barrier function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses laminin 511 mRNA expression levels as an intermediary marker that reflects the state of MCSP-positive epidermal basal stem cells without requiring direct cell detection. The mRNA expression serves as a population-level proxy that correlates with stem cell number and function, bypassing the need for individual cell identification and counting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3878970B1Laminin 511 production promoter, basal epidermal layer stabilizer and/or screening method for agent to minimize reduction in or promote increase in epidermal stem cells
Publication Date: 2024.09.11 SHISEIDO CO LTD
  • EP3878970B1 patent drawingFigure 1(A)~1(C)
  • EP3878970B1 patent drawingFigure 2(A)~2(B)
  • EP3878970B1 patent drawingFigure 3(A)~3(B)

AI summary

The purpose of this invention is to provide a method with which it is easy to perform screening for an agent that proliferates or an agent that minimizes the reduction in MCSP-positive basal epidermal stem cells. Provided is a screening method for a laminin 511 expression promoter, which takes the expression of laminin 511 as an indicator. Also provided is an agent for improving skin barrier function, elasticity, hydration and inflammation, said agent including at least one extract selected from among a group consisting of brown algae, red algae and green algae.