UVR-Induced Changes

  • High-frequency UVR results in DNA damage (mutations) and immunosuppression (local/systemic) – both steps key to photocarcinogenesis
  • DNA damage
    • DNA considered chromophore for most biological effects from UVB and UVC
    • Direct DNA damage via photoproducts, which are dimers formed by covalent bonding between adjacent pyrimidines (cytosine or thymine) in same polynucleotide chain; if dimers unrepaired or incorrectly repaired, results in mutation specific to UVB → cytosine changed to thymine (C to T), referred to as signature of UVB effect on DNA
    • Cyclobutane-pyrimide dimers (CPD): most common DNA photoproduct; most frequent thymine-thymine (T-T) > C-T > T-C and C-C
    • 6,4-photoproduct: noncyclobutane dipyrimidine DNA photoproduct
    • Indirect DNA damage from UVA likely via formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)
    • Immunosuppresion: ↓ number of Langerhans cells, modification of antigen-presenting cell capacity, release of immunosuppressive cytokines (IL1, IL10, TNFα, etc.)
  • DNA repair mechanisms
    • Photoproducts repaired by nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway (includes seven genetic complementation groups and variant form)
    • Post replication repair: damaged DNA ignored instead of repaired; replaced during replication but likely not very accurate