title: UVB-induced epidermal pigmentation in mice eyes with no contact lens wear and non-UVB blocking and UVB blocking contact lens wear.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Irradiation by ultraviolet (UV) B is known to increase the number of Dopa-positive melanocytes in the skin. This study examines the effectiveness of a contact lens for the defense of UVB eye irradiation-induced pigmentation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 2.5 kJ/m(2) dose of UVB radiation was delivered by a sunlamp to the eye of C57BL/6j male mice, and changes in the expression of Dopa-positive melanocytes in the epidermis and the plasma level of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The degree of change in the Dopa-positive melanocytes expression was reduced by UVB blocking contact lens using mice given UVB irradiation to the eye. The plasma level of α-MSH increased in the C57BL/6j mice after irradiation to the eye, but there was no increase in the UVB blocking contact lens mice given UVB irradiation to the eye. Both the increase of the expression of Dopa-positive melanocytes and the plasma level of α-MSH were strongly suppressed by an alignment fitting UVB blocking contact lens and only a slightly suspended UVB blocking contact lens. In addition, these changes were successfully inhibited by a UVB blocking contact lens but not by a non-UVB blocking contact lens with a similar absorbance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations suggest that the UVB blocking contact lens inhibits the pigmentation of the epidermis in mice by suppressing of the α-MSH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. hiramoto@msic.med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiramoto
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yurika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamate
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003261:Contact Lenses; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000528:radiation effects; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005123:Eye / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine