640 Exploring the synergic effects of a plant and a peptide on hair follicle pigmentation

Abstract

Canities is an age-linked loss of bulb melanocyte and hair follicle (HF) pigmentation. Canities can significantly alter the physical appearance of a person and negatively impact their well-being, which drives the search and demand for new anti-greying agents. αMSH is pro-pigmentary hormone of the melanocortin family, which stimulates melanogenesis through its target receptor, MC1. GreyverseTM (Gv) is a biomimetic synthetic peptide derived to mimic αMSH and is an established promoter of HF melanogenesis with redox properties. Preliminary studies revealed that cotreatment of Gv and Paeonia Suffruticosa root bark extract (PS) synergically induces mitochondrial E3 ligase (MITOL) and melanogenesis in human melanocytes in vitro. Thus, this study investigated the additive effects of PS and Gv on hair pigmentation ex vivo. HFs were cultured in serum-free medium, supplemented with PS and/or Gv for 4 days, then assessed for protein expression and enzymatic changes associated to melanogenesis. Quantitative immune-histomorphometry revealed that PS and Gv cotreatment led to an additive increase in melanin content (p<0.05) that derived from a synergic increase in Gp100 expression (p<0.05), an increase in tyrosinase activity, and αMSH and TYRP expression within the hair follicle pigmentary unit. Taken together, PS and Gv showed synergic effects in promoting hair pigmentation, primarily through melanosome maturation. Thus, this combinational treatment deserves further pre-clinical and clinical exploration for the reversal of hair greying.