This method, which screens drugs that activate the skin, is characterized by causing candidate drugs to act on vascular endothelial cells, and selecting drugs that enhance the expression of PDGF-BB by the cells as a skin activation agent.

The present invention concerns the use of particular RNA sequences as a medicament. More precisely, it concerns the use of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) which the inventor has shown to be involved in the mechanisms of aging. The snoRNAs of the invention can be used in particular to increase the stress resistance of a subject and to fight against the harmful effects of aging, typically for preventing or treating a degenerative disease, a laminopathy, diabetes, obesity or a cancer and, more generally, to prolong the lifespan of a subject. The snoRNAs of the invention can also be used in the treatment of infertility. The invention further relates to vectors, cells, transgenic animals and compositions capable of expressing an snoRNA of the invention, and methods using any of the above products of the invention as a tool for identification of a molecule active in the prevention or treatment of a pathology, abnormality or disorder linked to a mechanism of aging.

There is disclosed a process for determining early patient response to an initial therapy administration, comprising a rapid determination of effectiveness of a therapy after an initial treatment for a cancer indication. More specifically, the rapid determination of effectiveness is made days following initial therapy. There is further disclosed a process for determining early patient response to an initial cancer treatment, comprising (a) conducting a baseline PET FDG or PET FLT scan of the tumor region in a patient by determining tumor tissue metabolic rate and/or apoptotic rate (for FLT), (b) providing a single potentially effective dose of a therapeutic to the patient, (c) conducting a second PET FDG or PET FLT scan by determining tumor tissue metabolic rate, and (d) comparing the results of the first PET scan to the second PET scan to determine an imaging response in the PET scan results whereby at least a 1% reduction in tumor tissue metabolic rate indicates that the patient would benefit to treat the tumor with the initial cancer treatment. Preferably, in addition to the PET scans conducted before and after an initial dose of a cancer drug, the present disclosure further provides parallel before and after measurement(s) of the level of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for specific oncogene mutations/alterations to identify early patient response to drug therapy.

The present invention provides novel mitochondrial fusion transcripts and related deletion molecules that are associated with UV exposure. Methods for in vivo and in vitro detection of mtDNA molecules and associated fusion transcripts is also provided, as is their use in the screening and testing of skin care products.

Methods of using WIPI-1 to impart anti-aging benefits to the skin and/or improve skin conditions resulting from reduced autophagy activity.

Provided are novel methods useful for the screening and generation of potential cosmetic agents that work in synchronization with the circadian rhythm of the skin for the treatment of aged skin. These novel methods allow for identification of new cosmetic agents that can be screened for their selective treatment of skin aging conditions and for the specific targeting of particular skin cell types, such as keratinocytes or fibroblasts.

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.

Provided are a gene involved in the regulation of the amount of melanin in keratinocytes, and the control of the color of skin or hair, the gene being selected from the group consisting of ATG7 gene, RAB11A gene, CLIP-170 gene, Rubicon gene and RAB7B gene, and a molecule encoded by the gene.

Identification and use of compounds which inhibit the expression or activity of micro-RNAs for preventing and/or attenuating ageing. An in vitro method for screening for candidate compounds for preventing and/or attenuating ageing of the skin including (a) bringing at least one test compound in contact with a sample of fibroblasts, (b) measuring the expression or the activity of at least one microRNA chosen from miR-134 and miR-152 in said fibroblasts, and (c) selecting the compounds for which an inhibition of at least 20%, preferably at least 30%, preferably at least 40% of the expression or an inhibition of at least 20%, preferably at least 30%, preferably at least 40% of the activity of at least one microRNA is measured in the fibroblasts treated in (a) compared with the untreated fibroblasts.

Provided are a gene involved in the regulation of the amount of melanin in keratinocytes, and the control of the color of skin or hair, the gene being selected from the group consisting of ATG7 gene, RAB11A gene, CLIP-170 gene, Rubicon gene and RAB7B gene, and a molecule encoded by the gene.