{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T08:08:49Z","timestamp":1784534929768,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,17]],"date-time":"2026-07-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784246400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Skin barrier dysfunction and pruritus, central to inflammatory dermatoses, are closely associated with impaired epidermal structural proteins and persistent inflammatory signaling. To address these pathological features, this study aimed to explore the potential anti-inflammatory, barrier-restorative, and anti-pruritic effects of DualPep-ATO, a human-derived cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), using integrated in vitro, ex vivo, and exploratory clinical approaches. Allergic and inflammatory responses were evaluated in rat basophilic leukemia cells and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages, while barrier-repair properties were partially assessed in ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated human epidermal keratinocytes and ex vivo human skin tissue. Mechanistically, DualPep-ATO exhibited no cytotoxicity and successfully suppressed \u03b2-hexosaminidase release, nitric oxide production, and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Furthermore, it contributed to mitigating skin barrier damage by restoring key epidermal structural proteins, specifically filaggrin, loricrin, and involucrin. Translating these findings clinically, a four-week topical application of a DualPep-ATO cream in adults with compromised skin significantly decreased transepidermal water loss and itch severity. With high participant satisfaction and no reported adverse events, this peptide may serve as a promising peptide-based topical strategy for inflammatory skin conditions associated with barrier dysfunction and pruritus.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms27146357","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T07:54:13Z","timestamp":1784534053000},"page":"6357","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Translational Assessment of a Cell-Penetrating Peptide Topical Formulation for Repairing Barrier Dysfunction in Human Skin"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"27","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6831-7379","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Young In","family":"Lee","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Scar Laser and Plastic Surgery Center, Yonsei Cancer Hospital, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ahlim","family":"Min","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Min&Min Clinic, Seoul 06124, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wooram","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wyne Plastic Surgery Clinic, Cheongju 28540, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jinyoung","family":"Jung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mymirae Dermatologic Clinic, Seoul 07326, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8628-8233","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hosung","family":"Choi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PIENA Aesthetic Medical, Seoul 06136, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jewan Kaiser","family":"Hwang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mymirae Research Institute for Dermatologic Science, Seoul 07326, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-4466-9550","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ngoc Ha","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Dermatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3257-9742","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Inhee","family":"Jung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Global Medical Research Center Co., Ltd., Seoul 06526, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-3091-2246","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hyojin","family":"Roh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Mymirae Dermatologic Clinic, Seoul 07326, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Thangam, E.B., Jemima, E.A., Singh, H., Baig, M.S., Khan, M., Mathias, C.B., Church, M.K., and Saluja, R. 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