title: Suppression of UVB-induced c-fos and c-jun expression in human keratinocytes by N-acetylcysteine.
abstract: Irradiation of human keratinocytes with UVB results in the early induction of proto-oncogenes c-fos and c-jun, members of the AP-1 protein family of transcription factors. To explore a possible involvement of oxidant stress in triggering this UVB-induced early gene response, we investigated in human keratinocytes the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a thiocompound with antioxidant activities, on UVB-induced c-fos, and c-jun expression. Normal human keratinocytes were irradiated with either 16 or 32 mJ cm-2 UVB, which induces a temporary inhibition of DNA synthesis, without compromising cell survival. Preincubation with 1 and 3 mM NAC suppressed c-jun and c-fos induction by UVB in a dose-dependent fashion. These applied concentrations of NAC were not toxic to the keratinocytes, as determined by Trypan Blue exclusion assay and completely suppressed c-jun and c-fos induction by the chemical cadmium chloride (oxidative stress). These results indicate that oxidative stress, at least in part, mediates the transcriptional activation of c-fos and c-jun in human keratinocytes after UVB irradiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garmyn
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Degreef
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000528:radiation effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016762:Genes, fos; D016758:Genes, jun; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D019256:Cadmium Chloride; D000111:Acetylcysteine