Peptide and peptidomimetic tyrosinase inhibitors

Melanin, which is produced by melanocytes and spread over keratinocytes, is responsible for human skin browning. There are several processes involved in melanogenesis, mostly prompted by enzymatic activities. Tyrosinase (TYR), a copper containing metalloenzyme, is considered the main actor in melanin production, as it catalyzes two crucial steps that modify tyrosine residues in dopaquinone. For this reason, TYR inhibition has been exploited as a possible mechanism of modulation of hyper melanogenesis. There are various types of molecules used to block TYR activity, principally used as skin whitening agents in cosmetic products, e.g., tretinoin, hydroquinone, azelaic acid, kojic acid, arbutin and peptides. Peptides are highly valued for their versatile nature, making them promising candidates for various functions. Their specificity often leads to excellent safety, tolerability, and efficacy in humans, which can be considered their primary advantage over traditional small molecules. There are several examples of tyrosinase inhibitor peptides (TIPs) operating as possible hypo-pigmenting agents, which can be classified according to their origin: natural, hybrid or synthetically produced. Moreover, the possibility of variating their backbones, introducing non-canonical amino acids or modifying one or more peptide bond(s), to obtain peptidomimetic molecules, is an added value to avoid or delay proteolytic activity, while the possibility of conjugation with other bioactive peptides or organic moieties can bring other specific activity leading to dual-functional peptides.