Elsevier

Biotechnology Advances

Volume 36, Issue 8, December 2018, Pages 2019-2031
Biotechnology Advances

Research review paper
Breaking the frontiers of cosmetology with antimicrobial peptides

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.08.005Get rights and content

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are mostly endogenous, cationic, amphipathic polypeptides, produced by many natural sources. Recently, many biological functions beyond antimicrobial activity have been attributed to AMPs, and some of these have attracted the attention of the cosmetics industry. AMPs have revealed antioxidant, self-renewal and pro-collagen effects, which are desirable in anti-aging cosmetics. Additionally, AMPs may also be customized to act on specific cellular targets. Here, we review the recent literature that highlights the many possibilities presented by AMPs, focusing on the relevance and impact that this potentially novel class of active cosmetic ingredients might have in the near future, creating new market outlooks for the cosmetic industry with these molecules as a viable alternative to conventional cosmetics.

Section snippets

Antimicrobial peptides and scope of applications in health

Antibiotics were originally isolated from fungi and bacteria, and since then have evolved, through intensive research and development, into chemically synthesized, and optimized, molecules (Yan and Baran, 2016). These compounds have been saving millions of lives and reducing patient suffering for more than 60 years, and are partly responsible for the considerable increase in worldwide life expectancy observed since the early 20th century. However, antibiotic resistance has also accompanied the

AMP potential in the development of new cosmetics

As described and investigated by Clausen and Agner (2016), and also by others, AMPs have a paramount role in skin barrier and function, being abundantly produced in the skin in response to a wide variety of stimuli, such as specific cytokines, bacterial components, and inflammation, according to each peptide.

AMPs have the ability to kill, or inhibit the growth of, various microorganisms. This can also be an important feature for novel cosmetics, considering the increasing awareness of the

SWOT analysis: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats

Peptides have long been considered inappropriate for drug development, due to the presence of more than 600 proteases described in the human body, as well as to a general perception of their supposed inferiority to small molecules (Uhlig et al., 2014). Despite such lack of attention, several peptides are being commercialized for a variety of applications, in areas such as cardiovascular diseases, oncology, and cosmetology.

As revealed by the various properties AMPs can exhibit in vitro and in

Design of new antimicrobial peptides with cosmetic potential

To develop new AMPs focusing on the combination of antimicrobial properties and important properties of cosmetic products, rational design can be an effective strategy. For instance, several analogues of known AMPs have been generated in studies using rational AMP design (Fjell et al., 2011). In this sense, in silico design and screening may significantly contribute to reduce the number of peptides to be tested in vitro and in vivo (Chou, 2011; Rahnamaeian and Vilcinskas, 2015).

Ideally (and

Conclusion

As knowledge regarding skin biology and senescence accumulates, the development of novel and more effective anti-aging compounds is set to expand. Regardless of the cellular target, peptides have the potential to be strategically designed to promote the desired effects over a range of targets. Considering that multifunctional properties are of interest, AMPs may stand out as a class of interest, with several effects on skin already described.

The outstanding challenge is to surpass present

Funding sources

This work was supported by the Brazilian funding agencies Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq); Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF) and by the Universidade Católica de Brasília, Fundação de Apoio a Pesquisa do Mato Grosso do Sul (FUNDECT). The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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