The Japanese cosmetics giant says that the ingredient was developed after the company found that the protein Serpin b3 plays a major role in blocking the barrier function that protects the outer skin from external stresses.
Researchers at Shiseido developed the amino acid derivative 1-piperidine propionic acid to inhibit the protein and consequently enhance the skin’s UV protection and moisture levels.
Focus on stratum corneum
In the early stages the researchers chose to focus on the stratum conrneum, or upper most layer of the epidermis, to find out why the skin layer is impaired by the nuclei digestion process that is associated with skin aging.
During its research into this area, the team clarified the mechanism of nuclei digestion and in doing so, discovered that Serpin b3 is a factor in inhibiting the formation of a normal stratum corneum.
What the researchers discovered is that Serpin b3 is rarely found in a healthy skin epidermis, but its presence is much more common in skin that is damaged and consequently rough to the touch.
Study analyzed 2,000 volunteers
The study analyzed the epidermis of 2,000 volunteers from around the world, to determine if there is a correlation between the amount of Serpin b3 and how it impacts the epidermal barrier function.
This finding led the Shiseido scientists to the discovery that increased Serpin 3 correlates directly with the skin’s susceptibility to external stress factors caused by the environment in general and specifically to UV rays.
The next step was to embark upon the development of an ingredient that would inhibit the effects of Serpin b3, which led to the discovery of 1-piperidine-propionic acid.
Preventing the damaging effects of Serpin b3
Shiseido claims that its experiments showed that the acid helped to reduce the proliferation of Serpin b3 in a skin model that had been exposed to UV rays.
Likewise, the study showed that 1-piperidine propionic acid suppressed the Serpin b3 production in the epedermis, leading to an increase in the skin barrier function, moisture retention, texture and general smoothness of the skin.
The ingredient is expected to be incorporated into the company’s finished skin care products.