Signaling molecule involved in ultraviolet damage to skin

1. A method of detecting and treating or protecting against ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced skin damage in a mammal, said method comprising the steps of:

measuring a level of Syk kinase in a skin sample obtained from said mammal by performing an immunoassay for assessing the level of said Syk kinase in said sample, said immunoassay selected from the group consisting of: a western blot, ELISA, immunoprecipitation, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, radioimmunoassay, dot blotting, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) or a nucleic acid assay for assessing the level of a nucleic acid encoding said Syk kinase in said sample, said nucleic acid assay selected from the group consisting of: a northern blot, a Southern blot, in situ hybridization, PCR assay, RT-PCR assay, a probe-array-based assay, a gene-chip-based assay, and a microarray-based assay,

comparing the level of said Syk kinase in said sample to a control level of Syk kinase in a control sample, wherein when the level of said Syk kinase in said sample is elevated compared to the level of Syk kinase in the control sample, Syk kinase is activated and said mammal is afflicted with UVR-induced skin damage, and

administering to said mammal a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising piceatannol or a salt thereof when the level of said Syk kinase in said sample is elevated compared to the level of Syk kinase in a control sample, thereby treating or protecting said mammal afflicted with UVR-induced skin damage.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mammal is selected from the group consisting of a mouse, rat, non-human primate, and human.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said mammal is a human.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said skin sample comprises skin tissue.

5. A method of identifying and treating a mammal at risk of developing UVR-induced skin damage, photoaging, or photocarcinogenesis, said method comprising the steps of:

measuring a level of Syk kinase in a skin sample obtained from said mammal by performing an immunoassay for assessing the level of said Syk kinase in said sample, said immunoassay selected from the group consisting of: a western blot, ELISA, immunoprecipitation, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, radioimmunoassay, dot blotting, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) or a nucleic acid assay for assessing the level of a nucleic acid encoding said Syk kinase in said sample, said nucleic acid assay selected from the group consisting of: a northern blot, a Southern blot, in situ hybridization, PCR assay, RT-PCR assay, a probe-array-based assay, a gene-chip-based assay, and a microarray-based assay,

comparing the level of said Syk kinase in said sample to a control level of Syk kinase in a control sample, wherein when the level of said Syk kinase in said sample is elevated compared to the level of Syk kinase in the control sample, Syk kinase is activated and said mammal is afflicted with UVR-induced skin damage, photoaging, or photocarcinogenesis, and

administering to said mammal a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising piceatannol or a salt thereof when the level of said Syk kinase in said sample is elevated compared to the level of Syk kinase in a control sample, thereby identifying and treating said mammal at risk of developing UVR-induced skin damage, photoaging, or photocarcinogenesis.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said mammal is selected from the group consisting of a mouse, rat, non-human primate and human.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said mammal is a human.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said piceatannol or salt thereof is incorporated within a dermally-acting composition that further comprises a delivery vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said delivery vehicle comprises a lipid component.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said delivery vehicle comprises a liposome.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein said piceatannol or salt thereof is incorporated within a dermally-acting composition that further comprises a delivery vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said delivery vehicle comprises a lipid component.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said delivery vehicle comprises a liposome.