• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.321-327
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• 2014

Collagen pentapeptide (Lys-Thr-Thr-Lys-Ser, KTTKS) and its palmitoylated derivative (pal-KTTKS) have received a great deal of attention as cosmeceutical ingredients for their anti-wrinkle effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate stability and permeability of KTTKS and pal-KTTKS in hairless mouse skin. In this study, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method was developed for the quantification of pal-KTTKS, and used for stability and permeability studies. Stability studies were performed using skin extracts and homogenates. Both KTTKS and pal-KTTKS were rapidly degraded, but pal-KTTKS was more stable than KTTKS. When protease inhibitors were added, the stability of both compounds (KTTKS and pal-KTTKS) improved significantly. In the skin permeation study, neither KTTKS nor pal-KTTKS was detected in the receptor solution, which indicates that neither compound could permeate through the full-thickness hairless mouse skin in the experimental conditions of this study. While KTTKS was not detected in any of the skin layers (the stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis), pal-KTTKS was observed in all skin layers: $4.2{\pm}0.7{\mu}g/cm^2$ in the stratum corneum, $2.8{\pm}0.5{\mu}g/cm^2$ in the epidermis, and $0.3{\pm}0.1{\mu}g/cm^2$ in the dermis. In conclusion, this study indicated that pal-KTTKS had greater stability and permeability than that of un-modified KTTKS, and may be a useful anti-wrinkle and anti-aging cosmeceutical agent.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.743-746
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• 2009

L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and peptide are both useful compounds for collagen biosynthesis in cosmeceuticals (cosmetic and pharmaceutical fields). The instability of these compounds, however, limit their application in these industries. In this report, we describe the development of a novel compound, Stabilized Ascorbyl Pentapeptide (SAP), which physically is much more stable than L-ascorbic acid in water. The inhibitory effects of this SAP compound on tyrosinase and melanin synthesis is comparable to that of L-ascorbic acid. Importantly, the SAP compound displays no cytotoxicity at a high concentration (5 mM). The ability of SAP to promote collagen biosynthesis is greater than that of L-ascorbic acid or the KTTKS peptide alone. Considering the in vitro stability and functional effects, our data strongly suggest that the SAP compound is a good candidate not only as a cosmetic ingredient, but also as a wound healing agent.