Application of peptides in skin care products

In recent years, the cosmetics industry has set off a wave of peptides, especially in high-end skin care products. This article will introduce some of the application of peptides in skin care products.

A peptide is a small molecule protein, also known as a peptide or a polypeptide. Twenty kinds of Amino Acids exist in nature. A peptide is a polymer formed by dehydration and condensation of two or more amino acids. The carboxyl group of the first Amino Acid molecule is condensed with the amine group of the second amino acid molecule, and a water molecule is removed to form Covalent peptide bonds are called dipeptides; three amino acids condensed are called tripeptides, and so on. Usually, peptides with less than 10 amino acids are called oligopeptides, those with more amino acids are called polypeptides, and those with more than 50 amino acids are called proteins. Some people also think that amino acid chains without secondary structure are called polypeptides. Regarding the number of amino acids in oligopeptides, polypeptides, and proteins, there is still no uniform definition.

There are many kinds of peptides, there are 400 kinds of dipeptides, 8,000 kinds of tripeptides, and so on. The biological activity of a peptide depends on its amino acid composition and sequence. Almost all physiological processes in the human body are regulated by polypeptides or proteins composed of specific amino acid sequences. Therefore, bioactive peptides have become a new direction and idea for the research and development and application of cosmetics, and their functions are becoming more and more subdivided, such as: Anti-Aging, repairing, anti-oxidation, anti-edema, promoting hair regeneration, inhibiting melanin production, breast enhancement, weight loss, etc. .

The skin is the body's natural barrier against external environmental aggression, and has a certain protective effect against external stimuli. This is due to the protective effect of the dense stratum corneum of the skin, but it also blocks the nutrients of cosmetics on the surface of the skin. Only a small amount of macromolecules and fat-soluble substances can be absorbed through pores and sweat pores, and only a small amount of nutrients can penetrate into the dermis through the stratum corneum gap. Therefore, most of the cosmetics we usually use only stay on the surface of the skin. For example, Hyaluronic Acid (commonly known as hyaluronic acid, HA) can lock in moisture about 1,000 times its own weight, and it can be said that the Moisturizing effect is very good. However, even if the molecular size of HA is reduced from 3MDa to 50KD, the short chain of hyaluronic acid is still too large to effectively penetrate into the skin and play a further role. However, as a fragment of protein, peptides can easily pass through the stratum corneum gap and enter the dermis to exert the desired effect.

SEDERMA, LIPOTEC, PANTAPHARM (DSM), SYMERISE, Evonik and other foreign companies have successively launched dozens of beauty peptides with different sequences and functions. Vigorously develop beauty active peptides, and the raw materials launched are endless.

Due to the variety of beauty peptides, more than 50 kinds of skin care products have been used at present, and domestic and foreign raw material suppliers are still vigorously developing, more and more effective bioactive peptides will be used in cosmetics. . This article makes a simple classification of the mechanism and function of beauty peptides:

1. Inhibit the transmission of nerve signals (botulinum toxin-like peptides):

The effect of Botox is to block neuromuscular transmission and relax muscles to reduce dynamic lines and improve wrinkles. The mechanism of these peptides is to inhibit the synthesis of SNARE receptors, inhibit the excessive release of catecholamine and acetylcholine in the skin, and partially block nerve transmission of muscle contraction messages, so it can inhibit muscle contraction and relax facial muscles. This in turn smoothes out dynamic, static and fine lines.

Acetyl hexapeptide-3 (also known as Argireline), also known as botulinum toxin, is one of the most widely used peptides. Acetyl hexapeptide-3 (Ac-EEMQRR-NH2), derived from the N-terminal region of SNAP-25, interferes with the assembly of the SNARE ternary complex and inhibits Ca-dependent release of catecholamines from chromium cells. Developed by LIPOTEC and obtained an international patent in 2002, Argireline can partially block nerve transmission of muscle contraction messages, affect nerve conduction in the skin capsule, relax facial muscles, and smooth dynamic, static and fine lines. Current clinical studies have shown that using 10% of Argireline for 30 days can reduce wrinkles by 30%. The efficacy of Argireline is comparable to that of botulinum toxin type A, and it is a biologically safe wrinkle-removing active peptide.

SYN-AKE is another bioactive peptide that reduces wrinkles by inhibiting muscle contraction. SYN-AKE acts on the postsynaptic membrane and is a reversible nAChR antagonist. SYN-AKE inhibits muscle contraction by binding to the small subunit of nAChP, competitively inhibiting the receptor for acetylcholine.

2. Signal Peptides

Signal peptides have the role of growth factors, and their mechanism of action is mainly to promote the proliferation of collagen, elastic fibers and hyaluronic acid, increase skin moisture content, increase skin thickness and reduce fine lines.

Sederma has launched Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3 (Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3, trade name: Matrixyl, peptide sequence: Pal-KTTKS), which is also one of the most widely used peptides. Numerous reports suggest that KTTKS can stimulate and promote the production of collagen types I and III and fibronectin, thereby increasing skin thickness and reducing fine lines. In order to increase the lipid solubility of KTTKS and the ability to penetrate the skin, Sederma added palmitoyl to become Pal-KTTKS. Later, Sederma and P&G conducted further clinical research on this product, which was later approved by P&G. buyout.

3. Anti-carbonylation, protect collagen from being destroyed and cross-linked by reactive carbonyl species (RCS, reactive carbonyl species). Some anti-carbonylation peptides also scavenge free radicals. Traditional skin care has placed great emphasis on anti-free radicals, and now more and more emphasis is placed on anti-carbonylation; anti-oxidation; anti-glycation.

Many research results show that GHK is a strong activator for wound healing, has a high affinity for copper ions, can spontaneously form GHK-Cu, has a stimulating effect on nerve tissue regeneration and angiogenesis, and can stimulate a variety of Synthesis of extracellular stromal components.

Fourth, improve microcirculation, strengthen blood circulation, improve eye edema, and eliminate inflammation.

Sederma has developed an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor dipeptide-2 (dipeptide-2) under the trade name Eyeliss. This peptide has an inhibitory effect on ACE. The ACE enzyme inhibitor achieves the inhibitory effect by inhibiting the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, inhibits the contraction of blood vessels, and helps lymphatic drainage, so it has a good improvement effect on the problem of dark circles.

5. Inhibit tyrosinase activity, block the transmission of melanin to the stratum corneum; block the conduction of melanin-stimulating hormone (MSH) and reduce the production of melanin. Nonapeptide-1 (trade name Melanostatine) developed by Atrium Company can antagonize α-MSH (α-melanocyte hormone), thereby inhibiting the formation of melanin. This type of peptide will be used in whitening and freckle-removing products.

In addition, peptides with functions such as promoting hair growth, promoting dermal repair, promoting wound healing, breast enhancement, and weight loss have begun to appear on the market, which will not be described in detail here.

More and more Cosmetic peptides with biological activity are used in cosmetics. With the progress of molecular biology, biochemistry, gene technology, etc., there will be more peptides with new uses and better effects. Peptides have shown a broad prospect in the field of cosmetic applications.