Influence of heat, wind, and humidity on ultraviolet radiation injury.
We investigated the influence of heat, wind, and humidity on UVR-induced acute and chronic skin damage of experimental animals housed in environmental chambers and irradiated under controlled conditions. Hairless mice (strain HRS/J) irradiated after an increase of 10 degrees F in skin temperature had more skin damage than irradiated controls. Significantly more Swiss albino mice irradiated for 400 days while maintained at 90 degrees F developed tumors than did those receiving the same amount of UVR but maintained at room temperature. Mice exposed to UVR daily for 4 weeks while kept in wind of 7 mph had greater damage and slower recovery than animals irradiated but protected from wind. Wind also accelerated tumorigenesis in mice than received chronic UVR. Mice kept at 80% relative humidity and given a single dose of UVR had greater skin injury than animals irradiated while at 5% relative humidity. High midity also appears to accelerate skin cancer formation in animals that were exposed to chronic UVR.
D000392:Air Movements; D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology; D003043:Cocarcinogenesis; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006813:Humidity; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000209:etiology; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014919:Wind