CosBeauty Magazine #79

Feature
more sustainable ingredients.
The challenge to formulators is to
ensure the peptide is small enough
to penetrate the skin. Generally,
peptides must be ten amino acids or
less to penetrate. Peptides are also
prone to breaking down in the body,
so scientists are now able to stabilise
them in a number of ways. This
includes liposomal encapsulation and
adding protective molecular groups to
the peptide to prevent breakdown by
the body’s natural enzymes.
New peptide
technology:
Acetyl
Hexapeptide-51
Skin ageing is considered as a
slowing or loss of the natural cell
functions of the skin. This results in
the appearance of fine lines, uneven
tone and texture, dryness and loss of
elasticity. This ages skin primarily due
to cellular senescence. This means
that the cells no longer proliferate
due to DNA damage and the inability
of the DNA repair machinery to
reverse errors in the genetic code.
The next generation of
cosmeceuticals aimed at skin
rejuvenation must target mechanisms
to avoid cell damage and enhance
the ability of the cells to repair.
This is now the focus of current
cosmetic science.
Scientists often look at nature to
provide clues to longevity and then
reproduce the active components
in the laboratory. Our underwater
world is offering scientists an
ocean of possibilities in antiageing
innovation. A species of
jellyfish called the Hydra is the only
known animal capable of perfect
regeneration without genetic errors
in the DNA. The cells essentially
possess an unlimited lifespan.
To translate this exceptional
feature for human use, scientists
have developed Hexapeptide-50 to
mimic the activity of the Hydra’s
nuclear repair factor to protect skin
DNA from damage. This new peptide
stimulates natural repair pathways
and enhances cellular longevity and
vitality in the skin. It mimics the
activity of a transcription factor in
the cell nucleus which protects the
DNA from damage, stimulates natural
chromosomal repair programs and
reverts cell senescence in human
dermal fibroblasts.
Scientists have discovered that
specific peptides called ‘Forkhead
box’ transcription factors (FOX) in
the nucleus of our cells can control
cell division and renewal. In human
cells, a natural peptide called FOX03a
protects DNA and stimulates DNA
repair to reverse mutations and cell
ageing. This peptide is a marker in
longevity, and humans who live to be
over a hundred years old have higher
levels of FOX03a in their cells.
FOXO3a is activated in the
presence of cell damage – from
factors such as pollution, free
radical damage, nutritional deficiency,
thermal, Infrared and UV exposure
– and then sets out to repair the
damage and prevent cell mutation.
However, if the damage is irreversible,
the cell is programmed to selfdestruct.
This is crucial as DNA
mutation can be copied to all
future cells unless the error can be
repaired before being passed onto
daughter cells.
Enter the breakthrough ingredient
in cosmetic medicine, acetyl
hexapeptide-51. In vivo tests on UV
treated skin showed significantly
reduced DNA damage when acetyl
hexapeptide-51 was applied to the
UV damaged epidermal skin cells.
When scientists tested the peptide
in a 30-day clinical trial in Europe
on a woman aged 55, she exhibited
collagen-producing cells (fibroblasts)
with the function and vitality of
a woman 10 years younger at the
conclusion of the trial period.
The development of acetyl
hexapeptide-51, a peptide acting as
the guardian of the genome, is truly
a game changer in our industry. As
an Australian cosmetic chemist, I
consider myself so fortunate to be
part of such a dynamic and constantly
evolving industry. Our responsibility
is to remain at the coalface of
innovation and technology and
to ensure that the cosmeceuticals
we develop are stable, safe, highly
effective, and truly able to make a
difference. CBM
www.cosbeauty.com.au 41