title: It's all about position: the basal layer of human epidermis is particularly susceptible to different types of sunlight-induced DNA damage.
abstract: In this issue, Tewari et al. show that although UVB most effectively causes cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) at the human epidermal surface, UVA-induced CPDs predominate in the basal layer. Previous studies found higher accumulation of UVA-induced 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine and mutations in the basal layer. Therefore, the epidermal basal layer is particularly sensitive to UVA-induced genetic damage and the formation of mutations.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Dermatology, Bosch Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. gary.halliday@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Halliday
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cadet
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers; C058406:pyrimidine-pyrimidone dimer