Bio-active designed peptide for hair keratin strengthening.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Cosmetic Chemistry
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Environmental and chemical stressors compromise hair integrity and mechanical properties.
• Innovative solutions are needed for effective hair strengthening and cosmetic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To computationally design and experimentally validate targeted tripeptides for hair protein strengthening.
• To assess the efficacy of these tripeptides in cosmetic hair care formulations.

Main Methods:

• Rational peptide design and molecular docking were used for computational screening of tripeptide sequences.
• Functional testing included tensile strength measurements, breakage analysis, surface morphology, and confocal microscopy for penetration studies.
• Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to confirm KCV-keratin interactions.

Main Results:

• KCV (Tripeptide-132) and pal-KCV showed strong binding affinity to hair keratins, with pal-KCV exhibiting enhanced binding energy.
• Pal-KCV treatment increased hair tensile strength by 44% and reduced mechanical breakage by 48%-52%.
• KCV demonstrated improved surface smoothness, cuticle integrity, and deep penetration into hair structures, confirmed by molecular dynamics.

Conclusions:

• KCV and its palmitoylated derivatives are effective agents for comprehensive hair protein strengthening.
• These findings support the potential of KCV for advanced hair care formulations with superior performance.
• The study establishes a novel approach for designing cosmetic ingredients targeting hair protein integrity.