90 JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE To further quantify the function of BPE, changes in FLG and loricrin levels were tested. Generally, FLG and LOR are important molecules connecting the keratin fiber in human skin cuticle. They can also prevent the loss of epidermis water and the invasion from external allergic substances (34–36). Herein, Epikutis® was exposed to different inducers, which can simulate the response of allergic or irritant stress. Figures 4A and 4B show that SLS exposure resulted in significant decreases in FLG and LOR expressions, which were only 44 and 46% of the control. However, BPE treatment significantly enhanced the FLG and LOR expressions, which reached 124 and 127% of the control. As to the Poly I:C and LPS exposures (Figures 4A and 4B), FLG and LOR expressions were also upregulated by BPE treatment. Their ratios reached 177 and 214% of the control. Therefore, the results suggested that BPE upregulated the levels of FLG and LOR during allergic or irritant inflammation. As a key regulator of inflammation factors in dermatitis (37,38), TSLP content was detected by ELISA (Figure 5). It shows that Poly I:C and LPS exposures resulted in a significant increase in TSLP, indicating a strong inflammatory response. However, BPE treatment significantly alleviated the inflammatory response, which had a similar effect as DXMS. Figure 2. Heatmap of the changes in LPS-induced gene expressions. NC: negative control without treatment PC: positive control with treatment with 100 μg/mL dexamethasone BPE: experimental groups with treatment with 5 μg/mL BPE.

91 APPLICATION OF E GRACILIS-DERIVED PEPTIDES Figure 3. Hematoxylin-eosin staining of Epikutis® model. (A) BPE-ameliorated SLS-induced damage (B) BPE ameliorated Poly I:C and LPS-induced damage. NC: negative control BPE: 5 μg/mL. Figure 4. Immunofluorescence of FLG and LOR after the treatment of BPE. (A) and (B) Changes in FLG and LOR expressions after SLS exposure. (C) and (D) Changes in FLG and LOR expressions after Poly I:C and LPS exposures. ##p 0.01, compared with the control group **p 0.01, compared with NC, n =3. Values are the mean ± SEM.