skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Wavelength dependence of pyrimidine dimer formation in DNA of human skin irradiated in situ with ultraviolet light

Abstract

The UV components of sunlight are believed to be a major cause of human skin caner, and DNA is though to be the principal molecular target. Alterations of the intensity and wavelength distribution of solar UV radiation reaching the surface of the earth, for example by depletion of stratospheric ozone, will change the effectiveness of solar radiation in damaging DNA in human skin. Evaluation of the magnitude of such effects requires knowledge of the altered sunlight spectrum and of the action spectrum for damaging DNA in human skin. The authors have determined an action spectrum for the frequency of pyrimidine dimer formation induced in the DNA of human skin per unit dose of UV incident on the skin surface. The peak of this action spectrum is near 300 nm and decreases rapidly at both longer and shorter wavelengths. The decrease in the action spectrum for wavelengths <300 nm is attributed to the absorption of the upper layers of the skin. Convolution of the dimer action spectrum with the solar spectra corresponding to a solar angle of 40{degree} under current levels of stratospheric ozone and those for 50% ozone depletion, indicate about a 2.5-fold increase in dimer formation. If the actionmore » spectrum for DNA damage that results in skin cancer resembles that for dimer induction in skin, these results suggest that a 50% decrease in stratospheric ozone would increase the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancers among white males in Seattle, Washington, by 7.5- to 8-fold, to a higher incidence than is presently seen in the corresponding population of Albuquerque, New Mexico.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY (USA)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5440971
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 86:14; Journal ID: ISSN 0027-8424
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; CARCINOGENESIS; RISK ASSESSMENT; PYRIMIDINE DIMERS; RADIOINDUCTION; DNA; DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS; EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION; FAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION; MAN; NEW MEXICO; SKIN; WASHINGTON; ANIMALS; BODY; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; FEDERAL REGION VI; FEDERAL REGION X; MAMMALS; NORTH AMERICA; NUCLEIC ACIDS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANS; PATHOGENESIS; PRIMATES; RADIATIONS; ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION; USA; VERTEBRATES; 560120* - Radiation Effects on Biochemicals, Cells, & Tissue Culture

Citation Formats

Freeman, S E, Hacham, H, Gange, R W, Maytum, D J, Sutherland, J C, and Sutherland, B M. Wavelength dependence of pyrimidine dimer formation in DNA of human skin irradiated in situ with ultraviolet light. United States: N. p., 1989. Web. doi:10.1073/pnas.86.14.5605.
Freeman, S E, Hacham, H, Gange, R W, Maytum, D J, Sutherland, J C, & Sutherland, B M. Wavelength dependence of pyrimidine dimer formation in DNA of human skin irradiated in situ with ultraviolet light. United States. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.86.14.5605
Freeman, S E, Hacham, H, Gange, R W, Maytum, D J, Sutherland, J C, and Sutherland, B M. 1989. "Wavelength dependence of pyrimidine dimer formation in DNA of human skin irradiated in situ with ultraviolet light". United States. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.86.14.5605.
@article{osti_5440971,
title = {Wavelength dependence of pyrimidine dimer formation in DNA of human skin irradiated in situ with ultraviolet light},
author = {Freeman, S E and Hacham, H and Gange, R W and Maytum, D J and Sutherland, J C and Sutherland, B M},
abstractNote = {The UV components of sunlight are believed to be a major cause of human skin caner, and DNA is though to be the principal molecular target. Alterations of the intensity and wavelength distribution of solar UV radiation reaching the surface of the earth, for example by depletion of stratospheric ozone, will change the effectiveness of solar radiation in damaging DNA in human skin. Evaluation of the magnitude of such effects requires knowledge of the altered sunlight spectrum and of the action spectrum for damaging DNA in human skin. The authors have determined an action spectrum for the frequency of pyrimidine dimer formation induced in the DNA of human skin per unit dose of UV incident on the skin surface. The peak of this action spectrum is near 300 nm and decreases rapidly at both longer and shorter wavelengths. The decrease in the action spectrum for wavelengths <300 nm is attributed to the absorption of the upper layers of the skin. Convolution of the dimer action spectrum with the solar spectra corresponding to a solar angle of 40{degree} under current levels of stratospheric ozone and those for 50% ozone depletion, indicate about a 2.5-fold increase in dimer formation. If the action spectrum for DNA damage that results in skin cancer resembles that for dimer induction in skin, these results suggest that a 50% decrease in stratospheric ozone would increase the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancers among white males in Seattle, Washington, by 7.5- to 8-fold, to a higher incidence than is presently seen in the corresponding population of Albuquerque, New Mexico.},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.86.14.5605},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5440971}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA)},
issn = {0027-8424},
number = ,
volume = 86:14,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989},
month = {Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989}
}