← BioTransfer GEO Dataset Finder
GEO series

Topical application of Urolithin A slows intrinsic skin aging and protects from UVB-mediated photodamage: Findings from Randomized Clinical Trials

GSE264314 Homo sapiens (human) RNA-seq (gene expression) 57 samples Submitted 2026/04/18 Platform GPL24676
At a glance

RNA-seq (gene expression) · human · 57 samples

What it is
RNA-seq (gene expression)Gene activity measured by sequencing. The summary does not mention single-cell work, so this is most likely bulk: one average per sample, the usual starting point for comparing groups.
Organism
Homo sapiens (human)
Samples
57 samples: 15 × skin_Placebo_T1 vs 14 × skin_Placebo_T2 vs 14 × skin_Mitopure_T1 vs 14 × skin_Mitopure_T2Groups are read from the sample names, not from the paper. Check the list below.
Data you can get
A processed table (series matrix) and supplementary files from NCBI; the raw sequencing reads from ENA. Which of these hold counts depends on the study, so check the file list.
Summary (written by the submitters)
Urolithin A is a gut microbiome derived postbiotic that has been shown to stimulate mitophagy, and improve muscle and mitochondrial health when administered orally to humans. In three separate randomized trials, we have now investigated the effect of topical administration of Urolithin A on skin aging features and on UVB-mediated photodamaged skin.
Read the full summary ↓
Post-menopausal women with evidence of skin aging such as > Grade 3 wrinkle formation were included in a split-face/arm study design in the first trial (aging study 1; n=48), followed by a second larger trial (aging study 2; n=108) in middle-aged men and women focusing on wrinkle reduction. Healthy participants were included in the placebo-controlled, randomized UVB-induced trial (photo-damage trial; n=22). Participants were randomized to receive topical supplementation with either 0.5% Urolithin A cream or placebo for 8-weeks in a low-dose arm or 1% Urolithin A cream or placebo in the high-dose arm in theaging study 1. In theaging study 2participants were randomized to receive 1% UA in a day-cream, a night cream and a serum, that were compared to the untreated site. For thephoto-damage trial,topical patches containing either 0.5% or 1% UA or placebo cream were applied for 24-hours following UVB irradiation. The primary outcome in theaging study 1was an impact on biological pathways linked to skin aging in skin biopsies, and an impact on skin barrier function after 8-weeks. Key secondary endpoints were a change in facial wrinkle appearance (crow’s feet area). Theaging study 2focused on wrinkle reduction as a primary outcome. In the UVB-mediatedphoto-damage study, the primary read-out was the change in erythema after application. Molecular analyses were conducted on skin biopsies and usingex-vivosystems to investigate the mechanism of action mediating skin protective effects of Urolithin A. In theaging study 1, Urolithin A at 1% significantly up-regulated collagen synthesis pathways in human skin biopsies and led to a decrease in wrinkle depth on facial wrinkles. The lower dose had no significant impact. There was no change on skin barrier function with both doses suggesting maintenance of a healthy skin barrier function. Inaging study 2, topical application of Urolithin A at the 1% dose in different formulations (day-cream, night cream and serum) led to significant wrinkle reduction compared to the untreated side, confirming the previous findings. Skin hydration was improved significantly as well. In the third trial, investigating impact on photodamaged skin, Urolithin A application led to a significant decrease in UV-induced erythema (∼14%) compared to the untreated area, while placebo and lower dose UA cream’s showed no benefits. Urolithin A topical administration was safe and well-tolerated in all studies. UA also inhibited collagen degrading and pro-inflammatory pathways and up-regulated gene expression of biomarkers linked to induction of mitophagy and autophagy in human skin cells. Taken together, these clinical studies support the topical use of Urolithin A to manage and prolong skin health longevity by acting at the cellular level, supporting collagen structure, reducing wrinkle appearance and protecting against photoaging.
This dataset
Open GSE264314 in finder → Find more human RNA-seq datasets →
Download · which file do I need?

Direct links to NCBI and ENA, no account and no request form. Pick by what you want to do: take the small processed table to look, the supplementary files to re-analyse, or the original raw data to start over.

1 · Just have a look

Processed table

The series matrix: one table of values per sample as the submitters processed it. The smallest download, and it opens in Excel or R. Start here to see what the data look like.

Series matrix ↓
2 · Re-analyse it

Supplementary files

The count tables and other files the authors uploaded. Take only the samples you need, or the whole study as GSE264314_RAW.tar (it can run to tens of gigabytes).

All supplementary files ↗ Whole study · RAW.tar ↓
3 · Start from the raw reads

Raw sequencing reads

The original FASTQ files, straight from the sequencer, held at ENA. Large, and you align them yourself, so only choose this if you need to re-process the study from scratch.

Raw reads on ENA ↗

What the files usually look like: For RNA-seq the counts are usually a table among the supplementary files (look for 'counts', 'expression', 'FPKM' or 'TPM' in the file name). The series matrix of a sequencing study is sometimes nearly empty.

Also filed as BioProject PRJNA1101951 and SRA study SRP502600. Searching any of these in the dataset finder brings you back here.

NCBI GEO page ↗
Study design
15 × skin_Placebo_T1 vs 14 × skin_Placebo_T2 vs 14 × skin_Mitopure_T1 vs 14 × skin_Mitopure_T2

Supports a between-group comparison across 57 samples.

How we read this: 4 replicated groups read from 57 sample titles; they account for 57 of them. These groups are guessed from the sample names, not taken from the paper, so check them against the sample list below before relying on them.

Samples in this study

+ 17 more — browse all 57 samples with per-sample file links →

Datasets on a similar topic

Search all human RNA-seq datasets in GEO →

Share this dataset

Metadata from NCBI GEO, cached and refreshed periodically — the NCBI page above is authoritative. Downloads link straight to NCBI/ENA; nothing is proxied through BioTransfer.