title: Protection against photodynamic therapy (PDT)-induced photosensitivity by fabric materials.
abstract: "Special" highly protective fabrics are now available that offer broad-spectrum protection in preventing sunburn, and possibly other types of photodamage. It is important to know to what extent these fabrics are capable of protecting the wearer against skin cancer, photosensitivity disorders, and inadvertent phototoxic reactions from photodynamic therapy (PDT). We assess the ability of one such special (Solumbra) fabric and one "typical" summer fabric to provide protection against PDT phototoxicity produced in tape-stripped Sk-1 hairless mice by topical 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and (primarily) visible light (360-800 nm). Since ALA-derived photosensitizers absorb most of the visible spectrum, results from these studies give a good indication of the photoprotective capability of these fabrics throughout this region. Mice were irradiated dorsally with a Kodak slide projector equipped with a 300 W tungsten-halogen lamp (I0 = 48.3 mW/cm2). After determining the minimal phototoxic dose (MPD) to be 1.40 +/- 0.4 J/cm2, we irradiated the tape-stripped ALA-sensitized mice through the stretched test fabrics with appropriate multiples of the MPD. The special fabric provided protection against 25-30 MPD visible light between 360-800 nm in 14/14 mice. The typical fabric failed to provide protection against 2.5 MPD of the same spectrum. No phototoxic or other adverse responses were seen with either the ALA or light control. In conclusion, the Solumbra fabric is much more protective against ALA photosensitization than the typical fabric. Both appear better at blocking UV than visible light.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310-1495, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Menter
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Hollins
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sayre
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Etemadi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D051379:Mice; D008812:Mice, Hairless; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013784:Textiles; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid