Production and clearance of cyclobutane dipyrimidine dimers in UV-irradiated skin pretreated with 1% pimecrolimus or 0.1% triamcinolone acetonide creams in normal and atopic patients.
BACKGROUND
Ultraviolet (UV)-induced pyrimidine dimers are an early step in skin carcinogenesis, which is accelerated in the setting of long-term immunosuppression with systemic calcineurin inhibitors. It is not known whether topical application of calcineurin inhibitors exposes to a similar risk.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the formation and clearance of UV-induced dipyrimidine dimers in human epidermis treated with topical pimecrolimus as compared to topical steroid, vehicle and untreated control.


METHODS
Pretreated buttock skin of 20 human volunteers with (10) or without (10) atopic dermatitis was exposed to two minimal erythema doses (MED) of simulated solar radiation. DNA was extracted from epidermis 1 and 24 h postirradiation. Pyrimidine dimers were visualized by immuno slot blots and quantified by chemoluminescence image analysis.


RESULTS
One-hour postirradiation, pimecrolimus-treated epidermis contains less DNA damage as compared to untreated control, but there were no statistically significant differences between pimecrolimus, triamcinolone acetonide and vehicle. Dimer levels at 24 h postirradiation showed no significant differences between different treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with pimecrolimus cream, triamcinolone acetonide cream and vehicle is not associated with increased epidermal DNA damage at 1 and 24 h post-UV exposure.
Doelker
Laurence
L
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
Tran
Christian
C
Gkomouzas
Angelos
A
Grand
Denise
D
Sorg
Olivier
O
Saurat
Jean-Hilaire
JH
Lübbe
Jann
J
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003124:Colorimetry; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004817:Epidermis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers / Q000378:metabolism*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers; C117268:pimecrolimus; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide; D016559:Tacrolimus