PMS-003 is a new interfering peptide discovered by Academician Wang Yutian and his team, which can reduce the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol in vivo (Nature Medicine, 2010) by interfering the activation of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (or SREBP-1) caused by ubiquitination of insulin-induced gene-1 (or Insig-1). Its indications include acne, lipid-spilling alopecia, non-alcoholic fatty liver and obesity, etc.

Its mechanism of action is as followed: Sterol regulatory factor binding protein (SREBP) is a transcription factor bound to endoplasmic reticulum and can activate the biosynthesis of cholesterol, fatty acids, triglycerides, and phospholipids. SREBP contains two binding proteins, SREBP-1 and SREBP-2. Research results have shown that SREBP-1 mainly regulates the biosynthesis of fatty acids, triglycerides, and phospholipids; while SREBP-2 mainly regulates the biosynthesis of cholesterol. On the endoplasmic reticulum, immature SREBP and SREBP cleavage binding protein (SCAP) are tightly bound, and their activation states are regulated by SCAP. When sterol falls short, SCAP interacts with numerous COP Ⅱ Coat proteins, and transfers immature SREBP to the Golgi apparatus to be modified and processed into mature SREBP. However, when there is excessive sterol in the body, SCAP binds to Insig-1, another protein on the endoplasmic reticulum, to maintain the stability of SREBP-SCAP, thus failing to produce and release mature SREBP. When Insig-1 in cells is rapidly ubiquitinated and then hydrolyzed by protease, the stability of Insig-1-SREBP-SCAP is destroyed. This results in the activation of SREBP, thus increasing the synthesis of fatty acids and triglycerides.

At present, this project mainly focuses on the development of cosmetics using PMS-003 for oil control, acne suppression and prevention.

Link for related articles:

https://www.nature.com/articles/nm.2064