title: Inflammatory murine skin responses to UV-B light are partially dependent on endothelin-1 and mast cells.
abstract: Endothelin (ET-1) has been shown to crucially contribute to UV-induced skin responses such as tanning. To test whether ET-1 is also involved in early cutaneous reactions to UV, we assessed ET-1 skin levels in UV-irradiated mice. In correlation with the levels of UV-induced skin inflammation, ET-1 concentrations increased substantially and continually. Moreover, blocking of ET-1 receptors (ETA) resulted in significantly decreased cutaneous inflammation following UV irradiation. When we assessed skin responses to ET-1 injections, we observed prominent mast cell degranulation and mast cell-dependent inflammation. Since mast cells also critically contributed to UV-induced inflammation, we determined the ET-1-dependent inflammatory response to UV in the absence and presence of these cells. Interestingly, ETA blockade did not decrease UV-induced inflammation in mast cell-deficient mice, unless these mice had been adoptively transferred with mast cells before irradiation. This indicates that skin inflammation due to UV irradiation is caused in part by ET-1 acting on skin mast cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lammel
authors.forename: Bernhard F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maurer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D065130:Endothelin A Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D065130:Endothelin A Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A