# Exploring the Skin Benefits of Extremophilic Postbiotics from Exiguobacterium artemiae: A New Frontier in Thermal Protection

## TL;DR

This study explores how a new ingredient from a heat-loving bacteria can protect skin from heat stress by boosting collagen and skin structure.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the discovery of SUPER-T and Thermasome's ability to upregulate ECM genes under heat stress.

## Key findings

- Heat stress upregulates thermal receptors and downregulates ECM-related genes in skin fibroblasts.
- SUPER-T treatment upregulates ECM genes, suggesting a protective role against heat stress.
- Thermasome, an exosome-encapsulated form of SUPER-T, enhances skin heat resilience and ECM gene expression.

## Abstract

Rising global temperatures increase skin exposure to heat stress, which can impair skin structure and function. While several cosmetic ingredients have been developed to mitigate heat-induced damage, most primarily aim to enhance hydration or suppress inflammation, lacking mechanistic insights into their action under heat stress. This study assessed E. artemiae-derived SUPER-T and its exosome form, Thermasome, in heat-stressed human skin fibroblasts. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that heat stress upregulated heat-related thermal receptors and downregulated key extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes. Notably, treatment with SUPER-T upregulated expression of these genes, suggesting a reparative role as a barrier to alleviate heat stress at the dermal–epidermal junction. For its application in a field of cosmetics, SUPER-T encapsulated in exosomes (Thermasome) enhanced the heat resilience, suggesting its better transdermal and heat protective effects. Thermasome further improved skin heat resilience and enhanced ECM gene expression including collagen genes. Our findings provide a mechanistic basis for the development of functional cosmetical materials that target ECM remodeling under heat-stressed conditions.