About the Authors

Shogo Takeda

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Research & Development Division, Oryza Oil & Fat Chemical Co., Ltd., Ichinomiya, Aichi, Japan

Shuko Terazawa

Roles Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Software, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Center for Bioscience Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan

Hiroshi Shimoda

Roles Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Validation

Affiliation Research & Development Division, Oryza Oil & Fat Chemical Co., Ltd., Ichinomiya, Aichi, Japan

Genji Imokawa

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Supervision, Validation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

imokawag@dream.ocn.ne.jp

Affiliation Center for Bioscience Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan

Competing Interests

The authors have read the journal’s policy and have the following competing interests: 6th Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank (OKB) provided financial support for this study in the form of an agribusiness subsidy. ST and HS are employees of Oryza Oil & Fat Chemical Co., Ltd. The authors would like to declare the following patent in Japan associated with this research: “Promoter of gene expressions involved in glucosylceramide synthesis in the skin” (No. 2017-105741). This patent is based on the data that mRNA expression of ceramide metabolizing enzymes are significantly up-regulated in reconstructed human keratinization models by treatment of β-Sitosterol 3-O-D-glucoside. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.