Shiseido elucidates the original mechanism of skin adaptation to arid environment

 Shiseido has discovered that in a dry environment, the "moisturizing power that coexists with the environment" inherent in the skin promotes the production of the enzyme (PAD1) that produces the natural moisturizing factor (NMF) inside the skin. In addition, we have newly discovered a component that enhances the production of PAD1 and supports the skin's original moisturizing power.

In the future, we aim to develop cosmetics that maintain healthy and beautiful skin by increasing adaptability and resistance to dry environments. Some of the research results were announced at the "46th Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology" (December 3-5, 2021).

In the modern society where the natural environment is changing remarkably, the company has further evolved the technology of the new idea of ​​"accepting the environment, harmonizing and realizing beauty", and the first technology of coexistence with ultraviolet rays, this time low humidity. Following on from environmental factors such as low temperature, we will continue to take on the challenge of developing technologies that make various environments friendly.

The skin has acquired adaptability to the external environment with evolution, such as sweating action at high temperature and melanin production when exposed to ultraviolet rays, but until now, the adaptability of the skin in the dry environment brought about by low humidity and low temperature is sufficient. It wasn't revealed to.

Therefore, the company has been engaged in new research to clarify the mechanism of adaptation to the skin's original dry environment, making use of the research findings on the skin's natural moisturizing factor NMF production pathway for more than 40 years.

NMF, which is indispensable for maintaining the moisture of the skin, is mainly supplied from the routes such as the proteins "filaggrin" and "sweat" that make up the skin. This time, as a result of comparing the abundance of NMF of the same person in summer and winter, it was found that filaggrin-derived NMF is more abundant in winter than in summer, and NMF that tends to be deficient in winter when sweat is reduced is derived from filaggrin. It was suggested that it was supplemented.

Furthermore, in order to investigate the seasonal variation mechanism of filaggrin-derived NMF, we analyzed the NMF-producing enzymes of the same person in summer and winter, and found that the PAD1 activity that promotes NMF production also increased in winter. In fact, in experiments using cells, it has been confirmed that the expression of PAD1 is increased in a low humidity and low temperature environment.

From the above, it was clarified that the skin adapts to the dry environment brought about by low humidity and low temperature, so by promoting the production of the NMF-producing enzyme PAD1, the skin's original moisturizing power is enhanced.

Subsequently, as a result of searching for a component that promotes the expression of PAD1, which is the key to environmentally adaptable moisturizing power, it was found that the originally developed component, aquain pool, has a PAD1 production promoting effect, and a plant having the same effect. I found multiple extracts.

It is expected that these ingredients will further enhance the skin's original adaptability to the dry environment.