Photoageing and skin cancer are major causes of morbidity and impose great public health burden. Interest in the development of photoprotective agents for inclusion in topical cosmetic and sunscreen products has been growing large. Recently, amino acids with a sulfinic group—notably hypotaurine—have been included as ingredients in cosmetic preparations.

A new study published in Photochemistry and Photobiology aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of hypotaurine as a possible anti-ageing agent.

In this study, hypotaurine uptake was assessed in a human keratinocyte model and its effect on UVR-induced cytotoxicity was examined.

The results revealed that hypotaurine was taken up by keratinocytes in a time-and concentration-dependent manner, with levels remaining significantly above the baseline, 48 hours after washout. A cytoprotective effect of pre-incubation with 2.5-5 mM hypotaurine was demonstrated – as indicated by increased cell viability when keratinocytes were irradiated with UVA at 5 or 10 Jcm-2 , with the level of hypotaurine also significantly reduced.

The findings indicated a potential cytoprotective effect of hypotaurine against the deleterious effects of UVA irradiation. It was stated that this evidence provides support for further studies to evaluate the potential photoprotective benefits of hypotaurine supplementation of topical cosmetic and sunscreen products.

Source: Photochemistry and Photobiology. 2020 Sep 21. doi: 10.1111/php.13334.