Claudin-1 as a target for modulation of epidermal barriers

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24390042
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Medical pharmacy
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: KONDOH Masuo 大阪大学, 薬学研究科(研究院), 准教授 (50309697)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: タイトジャンクション / 非侵襲性投与 / Claudin

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Epithelium plays pivotal roles in barriers that separate the inside of the body from the outside environment. Passage across epithelial barriers is the first step in drug absorption. Epidermal absorption is an ideal route for drug administration because it is non-invasive and easily controlled. Claudin-1 (CLDN1) seals tight junctions in the stratum granulosum, but whether modulation of CLDN1 enhances epidermal permeability is unclear. We developed anti-CLDN1 antibody, and we investigated the effect of an anti-CLDN1 antibody on the epidermal epithelial barrier by using human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK), a popular in vitro model of human epithelial cell sheets. Treatment of NHEK monolayers with anti-CLDN1 antibody decreased the integrity of tight junctions between adjacent cells and enhanced the permeation of solutes across the cell sheets. These findings suggest that CLND1 may be a target for specific modulation of epidermal barrier.

Free Research Field

薬物送達学