Abstract

As a complex sensory organ in the first line to sense external signals, our skin contains multiple receptors intended to response to touch perception, as well as thermal variation and pain. Moreover, recent studies highlighted the presence of photoreceptors and tasting receptors in human skin, whose function is still poorly described. The fact that these receptors can functionally respond to external stimuli, in particular to blue light and bitter compounds, allows us to consider a role in skin alert under environmental stresses. The present study aims at investigating the presence of opsin photoreceptors and bitter taste receptors in human skin, and to evaluate their response to stress induced either by exposure to blue light or smoke pollution. Blue light representing High Energy Visible (HEV) light was shown to be associated with the generation of oxidative stress, which is associated with skin photo-damage. Blue light pollution refers to artificial blue light exposure associated with a hyper-connected lifestyle. For the purpose of overall protection of the skin, protection from blue light pollution may help minimize its detrimental effects, which are associated with digital aging. In a second approach, receptors for bitter tasting were studied aiming at improving skin response to pollution stress.