This press release contains:
Summary of newsworthy paper:
UVA rays get under the skin
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UVA rays get under the skin
DOI: 10.1038/jid.2011.283
Although the sun’s UVB rays are generally considered to be the major cause of skin cancer, UVA radiation, which is 20 times more abundant, is also highly damaging. This research, published online in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, highlights the need for broader spectrum sun protection and may influence future public health policies.
The mutations found in skin cancers are commonly thought to be caused by UVB rays, which, via photochemical reactions, cause molecular changes in thymine or cytosine bases in DNA. Antony Young, Angela Tewari and colleagues compared the DNA-damaging effects of UVA1 (~75% of the sun’s UV radiation) and UVB rays in the skin of 12 healthy young volunteers. They found that UVA1 induced one type of molecular lesion — thymine dimers (TT) — whereas UVB radiation caused TT (at a higher level than UVA1), as well as lesions called pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts. UVA1-induced lesions increased with epidermal depth (unlike those induced by UVB, where the opposite effect was seen), suggesting that the basal layer of the epidermis is may be particularly vulnerable to UVA1-induced damage. This is important because the basal layer is where cell division in the skin takes place and some types of skin cancer originate.
This study is the first to compare the effects of UVA1 to equivalent doses of UVB, demonstrating that UVA1 induces damage, which, if unrepaired, has the potential to cause skin cancer. The findings indicate that UVA1, the primary waveband emitted by sun-beds, may be more carcinogenic than previously thought.
Author contact:
Antony Young (King’s College London, UK)
Tel: +44 20 7188 6367; E-mail: [email protected]
Editorial contact for the Journal of Investigative Dermatology:
Steven Ottogalli (Publishing Manager, Journal of Investigative Dermatology, New York, NY, USA)
Tel: +1 212 726 9214; E-mail: [email protected]
Media contact:
Rebecca Walton (Press Officer, Nature London, UK)
Tel: +44 20 7843 4502; E-mail: [email protected]
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