Cytocompatibility of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Deodorants: Evaluation on Human Keratinocytes and Axillary-Hosted Bacteria.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), often dubbed "synthetic antibodies", can recognize and bind their target molecule with high affinity and selectivity, making them serious competitors with regard to biological antibodies. MIPs have gained popularity in various clinical applications and have even been applied in vivo. However, only a few studies on the biocompatibility of MIPs have been reported. Herein, we investigate on an example of a MIP that has proved its efficacy as an active agent to suppress body odors in cosmetic formulations, its effect on the viability and irritation potential of human epithelial cells. Since body odors are caused by bacteria present on the skin, bactericides are regularly added to deodorants sold on the market. However, there is growing anxiety concerning these bactericides as they can generate resistant bacteria, a problem for human and animal health. Therefore, we also assessed whether the MIP perturbs the resident skin bacteria, which were isolated from human sweat. Our results show that MIPs do not affect bacterial growth when cultured in liquid media, suggesting that they will not affect the skin flora, which protects the body from dangerous pathogens. This thorough in vitro toxicological assessment shows the biocompatibility of MIPs and constitutes a step further in their future consideration within cosmetic or pharmaceutical formulations for skin applications.