June 18, 2019

Field: Life science and medicine; Keywords: sweat gland, live imaging, heat stroke, hyperhidrosis,
antiperspirant

Researcher in Joint Research Group Ledby Osaka University Wins Academic Prizeat Cosmetic Victories 2019
First in Japan to Receive the Award-Proposing New Concept for Next-Generation Antiperspirants-[Gist of the research results]
 Kie Nakashima, a Specially Appointed Researcher at Laboratory of Advanced Cosmetic
Science, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University*1, has won theAcademic Prize at the Cosmetics Victories 2019 sponsored by Cosmetic Valley inFrance*2, the world’s largest cluster in the cosmetics industry. In the contest, contestants
competed on the state-of-the-art cosmetics technologies.
 In the research, an imaging system of contracting motility of human sweat glands insweating was established. The system clarified contracting motility of sweat glands insweating and was applied to evaluate active ingredients that suppress sweating.
 The imaging system of motility of sweat gland resolves problems caused when the exitof sweat gland is plugged by using a conventional antiperspirant (excessive sweatingthat cannot be suppressed, skin inflammation, yellowing of the clothes caused by active
ingredients, etc.). It is also expected to be applied to next-generation antiperspirants that
directly act on the secretory part of sweat glands.
Overview
The joint research group*3, led by Guest Professor
Fumihiro Okada, Laboratory of Advanced CosmeticScience, Graduate School of PharmaceuticalSciences, Osaka University, conducts research forthedevelopmentofnext-generation
antiperspirants. This time, the group clarified thetemporal change in sweat gland contraction in athree-dimensional (3D) structure using a 3D live
imaging system (to observe the motility in 3D). As
an application of this imaging system, Kie
Nakashima, a Specially Appointed Researcher ofFig.1: Award Ceremony of Cosmetic Victories 2019
Photo by Cécile MUZARD

the group presented a new concept of new antiperspirants to suppress sweating by making
sweat glands inactive, not by plugging the exit of sweat glands as conventional
antiperspirants do. The concept was highly evaluated and won the Academic Prize at theCosmetic Victories 2019 contest (held at 17:00, June 6, 2019 local time and 0:00 on June 7,2019, Japan time) sponsored by Cosmetic Valley of France, the world’s largest cluster of thecosmetics industry.
Conventional antiperspirant

Next-generation antiperspirant

Background of the research
Sweat gland plugged Plug comes off
With the progress of global warming and superaging society, an increase in people suffering
hyperhidrosis or heat stroke has become a social
issue. To improve failure of sweating function, it isnecessary to understand the structure of sweat
Fig. 2: Concept of next-generation antiperspirant
glands that contract in sweating. A sweat gland is asingle tubular exocrine gland consisting of a secretory part and an excretory part. Sweat
secreted at the secretory part is excreted to the skin surface through the excretory part. The
secretory part at the end of the sweat gland and a part of the excretory part are complicatedly
folded in coiled structure like thread waste entanglement*4. The outmost layer of thesecretory part in this coiled area is surrounded by myoepithelial cells and contracts insweating. However, due to the complex structure of sweat glands, the mechanism of
sweat glands had not been clarified with conventional analysis methods. The grouphas found sweat gland stem cells of humans and successfully reproduced a sweat
gland-like structure in vitro, and visualized the three-dimensional structure of sweat
glands.
Social impact of these research results (significance of these research results)
If a next-generation antiperspirant that inhibits sweat gland contraction making use of thisaward-winning new concept is developed, it is expected to resolve problems thatconventional antiperspirants have and greatly contribute to reduce hyperhidrosis and sweat
odor, which are troubling today’s consumers. Mandom Corporation will work tocommercialize a next-generation antiperspirant that inhibits sweating using this evaluation
method.
Remarks
This research project was conducted with Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research of theJapan Society for the Promotion of Science for 17K16337 and 19K177710.
Glossaries*1 Laboratory of Advanced Cosmetic Science, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Osaka University
Jointly set up in June 2015 by Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, OsakaUniversity, and Mandom Corporation. This laboratory accepts financial support fromprivate enterprises and aims to produce excellent research results on common themes injoint research conducted on equal footing. This laboratory is an independent researchorganization set up within Osaka University and conducts flexible and speedy research
activities through discussions between Osaka University and Mandom.
*2 Cosmetic Valley (France)
The world’s largest cluster in the fragrance and cosmetics industry in France. Since 2015,it has hosted annual Cosmetic Victories contest as part of its support for research projects
on health and beauty. In the contest, “Academic Prize” for researchers and the “IndustryPrize” for business people are given. The awardees receive prize of €10,000.
*3 Joint research group
This research was conducted by a group consisting of Professor Kiyotoshi Sekiguchi atDivision of Matrixome Research and Application, Institute for Protein Research, OsakaUniversity, Professor Hiroyuki Murota at Department of Dermatology, Graduate Schoolof Biomedical Sciences of Nagasaki University (at Dermatology Department ofIntegrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University during the researchperiod), and the Dermatology Department of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School ofMedicine, Osaka University.
*4 Coiled structure of a sweat glandA sweat gland is a single tubular exocrine gland, and the end part of a sweat gland isfolded intricately in coiled structure like thread waste entanglement. The outmost layerof the secretory part in this coiled area is surrounded by myoepithelial cells and contracts
in sweating.
Inquiries<About the research contents>
・Guest Professor Fumihiro Okada/Kie Nakashima, Specially Appointed Researcher
Laboratory of Advanced Cosmetic Science, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Osaka University
TEL：06-6105-5792
FAX: 06-6105-5790
E-mail: okada-f@phs.osaka-u.ac.jp<About this news release>
・General Affairs Division, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University
TEL:06-6879-8144
FAX:06-6879-8154
E-mail: yakugaku-syomu@office.osaka-u.ac.jp
・mandom corp.
Public Relations Div.
mail: press@mandom.com
Please contact us in Japanese or English.