UVA coming up in ranks
March 12, 2012
A NEW study by a team of
Australian researchers has found
that the role of UVA in skin cancer
has been underestimated.
According to the research, UVA is
the dominant mutagen in the basal
layer of the epidermis (which contains
the dividing cells that cause skin
cancer).
“The reason why UVA is so
effective in causing cancer appears
to be due to lower levels of DNA
repair in these basal keratinocytes
and deeper penetrance of UVA
than UVB to these cells,” said study
head Professor Gary Halliday.
This basal layer of skin is especially
susceptible to UVA-induced genetic
damage as it has low expressions of
hOGG1, a major enzyme which
repairs oxidised guanine (8-oxoG),
the main photodamage caused by
UVA, Halliday said.
“We have recently discovered a
novel hotspot mutation in the
chromatin remodelling gene, the
exon-4 of BRM in human skin
tumours, which is consistent with
that being caused by UVA,” he said.
Researchers also found two
immunosuppressive peaks, one in
the UVB range at 300 nm and a
second in the high wavelength UVA
at 370 nm with wavelengths between
these peaks being less effective.
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