title: UV-induced DNA damage and melanin content in human skin differing in racial/ethnic origin.
abstract: DNA damage induced by UV radiation is a critical event in skin photocarcinogenesis. However, the role of racial/ethnic origin in determining individual UV sensitivity remains unclear. In this study, we examined the relationships between melanin content and DNA damage induced by UV exposure in situ in normal human skin of different racial/ethnic groups, phototypes, and UV sensitivities. The minimal erythema dose (MED) was established for each subject exposed to UVA/UVB radiation, and skin was biopsied before as well as 7 min, 1 day, and 1 wk after UV exposure. There was great variation among individuals in the amount of DNA damage incurred and rates of its removal. The results show that after exposure to 1 MED of UV, the skin of subjects from all groups suffered significant DNA damage, and that increasing content of constitutive melanin inversely correlated with the amount of DNA damage. It is clear from these results that measured erythemal UV sensitivity of the skin (MED) is a more useful predictor of DNA photodamage than is racial/ethnic origin or skin phototype and that rates of DNA damage removal following UV radiation may be the critical determinant of the UV sensitivity (including predisposition to cancer) of the skin.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology, Building 37, Room 1B25, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. hearingv@nih.gov
authors.forename: Taketsugu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tadokoro
authors.forename: Nobuhiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Barbara Z
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Zmudzka
authors.forename: Shosuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wakamatsu
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Katalin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Korossy
authors.forename: Sharon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Janusz Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.forename: Vincent J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Hearing
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis*; D044469:Racial Groups; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins; D004247:DNA