Gamay Grape - Solar Vitis – Jacqueline Piotaz Switzerland

GAMAY GRAPE STEM CELLS

GAMAY GRAPE (SOLAR VITIS)

Known for their use in fine red wines, the Piotaz family has grown Gamay grapes in its vineyard for generations. Gamay stem cells help protect against UV radiation, reducing free radicals, toxins, and the signs of photoaging, promoting UV tolerance for healthy-looking skin.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

STUDY #1: MAINTENANCE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EPIDERMAL STEM CELLS

The epidermal stem cells obtained using the method described previously, were treated with different concentrations of the Solar Vitis stem cell extract. Then, the effect of the Solar Vitis stem cell extract on the CFE was analyzed.

Results showed the capacity of the Solar Vitis stem cell extract to strongly increase the CFE: the CFE was stimulated by almost 50 % in the presence of 0.04 % Solar Vitis stem cell extract and by almost 80 % in the presence of 1.25 % Solar Vitis stem cell extract.

This clearly shows that Solar Vitis stem cell extract helps the epidermal stem cells to maintain their stem cell characteristics (”stemness”).

S-186b / © Mibelle AG Biochemistry 2008

STUDY #2: PROTECTION OF EPIDERMAL STEM CELLS AGAINST UV STRESS

The epidermal stem cells obtained using the method described previously, were treated with and without the Solar Vitis stem cell extract. Some were then exposed to UVA+UVB-light at 450 kJ/m2 whilst others were left unexposed. Afterwards, the CFE was determined.

• Results also showed a 58 % decrease of the CFE when epidermal stem cells were exposed to UV radiation (control). But, the presence of the Solar Vitis stem cell extract could completely counteract the negative effect of UV on these cells: the CFE remained at the same level.

• Results confirmed that the Solar Vitis stem cell extract increased the CFE of epidermal stem cells.

This clearly shows that Solar Vitis stem cell extract protects epidermal stem cells against UV-induced stress.

S-142 / © Mibelle AG Biochemistry 2008

STUDY #3: ENRICHMENT OF KERATINOCYTE PROGENITOR CELLS

A novel Progenitor Cell Targeting technology was used to prepare human epidermal stem cells. This technology consists of culturing a skin sample in a medium specifically designed to mimic the micro-environment of the stem cell in the epidermis.

This special, fully defined cell culture medium leads to an enrichment of so-called keratinocyte progenitor cells that can be considered as stem cells. This enrichment was controlled by quantifying the cells through FACS (Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting) which were labelled with CD34 and α6 integrin, two known markers of epidermal stem cells. Compared to freshly isolated cells, the cell population of passage 3 was characterized by a 10-fold increase of CD34 /α6 integrin double labelled cells.

The Progenitor Cell Targeting technology provides a cell culture model to study the effects of compounds on epidermal stem cells.

S-142 / © Mibelle AG Biochemistry 2008

STUDY #4: CAPACITY TO FORM A COLONY (CFE)

Stem cells can make identical copies of themselves as well as generate specialized cells. They have the capacity to form a colony consisting of:

• Themselves
• Transient amplifying cells (cells in an intermediate state)
• Differentiated cells

This capacity to form a colony, called CFE (colony-forming efficiency), is a characteristic of stem cells. To measure CFE, cells are seeded at a low density. The number of colonies formed is a value of the concentration of vital progenitor /stem cells.