Method for screening agents promoting skin barrier function and method for evaluating skin barrier function taking epidermal serine racemase and/or D-serine level as indicator
The purpose of the present invention is to develop a method for screening drugs having the effect of increasing skin barrier function in in vitro studies and to evaluate barrier function in the skin. Candidate drugs can be screened by using the activity and/or expression level of serine racemase as an indicator.
1. A method for evaluating a skin barrier function comprising:
measuring in a skin sample isolated from a subject an expression level of serine racemase; and
determining the skin barrier function of the subject from the measured expression level of serine racemase.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said measuring the expression level of serine racemase comprises measuring an amount of serine racemase mRNA in the skin sample.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said measuring the expression level of serine racemase comprises measuring an amount of serine racemase protein in the skin sample.
4. A method for evaluating a skin barrier function comprising: measuring in a skin sample isolated from a subject an activity of serine racemase and determining the skin barrier function of the subject based on the measured activity of serine racemase.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said measuring the activity of serine racemase comprises measuring a substrate conversion efficiency by serine racemase in the skin sample.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein said measuring the activity of serine racemase comprises measuring an amount of D-amino acid product in the skin sample.
7. A method for evaluating a skin barrier function comprising: measuring in a skin sample isolated from a subject a D-serine level and determining the skin barrier function of the subject based on the measured D-serine level.