Effect of Ultraviolet Irradiation on the Activity of Rat Skin Prostaglandin D Synthetase

Ultraviolet-radiation induced skin inflammation: dissecting the role of bioactive lipids

Acute exposure of human skin to the ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in sunlight results in the sunburn response. This is mediated in part by pro-inflammatory eicosanoids and other bioactive lipids, which are in turn produced via mechanisms including UVR-induction of oxidative stress, cell signalling and gene expression. Sunburn is a self-limiting inflammation offering a convenient and accessible system for the study of human cutaneous lipid metabolism. Recent lipidomic applications have revealed that a wider diversity of eicosanoids may be involved in the sunburn response than previously appreciated. This article reviews the effects of UVR on cutaneous lipids and examines the contribution of bioactive lipid mediators in the development of sunburn. Since human skin is an active site of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism, and these macronutrients can influence the production of eicosanoids/bioactive lipids, as well as modulate cell signalling, gene expression and oxidative stress, the application of PUFA as potential photoprotective agents is also considered.

Psoriasis and the arachidonic acid cascade

Arachidonic acid (5.8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid C20:4, n-6) is released from the cell membrane by the action of phospholipases on membrane phospholipids. Metabolites of arachidonic acid, which are generically termed eicosanoids, including prostaglandins, thromboxane, leukotrienes and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, have been implicated as mediators or modulators of a number of physiological functions and pathological conditions in both normal and diseased human skin. Particularly, eicosanoids have been suspected to play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, because a number of phenomena observed in psoriasis can be explained, at least in part, by the action of eicosanoids. This review will focus on recent progress regarding the significance of eicosanoids in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Recent developments in the molecular biology in the eicosanoids have renewed interest in the role of eicosanoids in psoriasis. New understanding of the etiology of psoriasis and advances in its treatment due to recent progress in eicosanoid biology will also be presented.

Skin changes in "screen dermatitis" versus classical UV- and ionizing irradiation-related damage--similarities and differences

An increasing number of persons say that they get cutaneous problems as well as symptoms from certain internal organs, such as the central nervous system (CNS) and the heart, when being close to electric equipment. A major group of these patients are the users of video display terminals (VDTs), who claim to have subjective and objective skin- and mucosa-related symptoms, such as pain, itch, heat sensation, erythema, papules, and pustules. The CNS symptoms are, e.g. dizziness, tiredness, and headache. Erythema, itch, heat sensation, edema and pain are also common symptoms of sunburn (UV dermatitis). Alterations have been observed in cell populations of the skin of patients suffering from so-called "screen dermatitis" similar to those observed in the skin damaged due to ultraviolet (UV) light or ionizing radiation. In "screen dermatitis" patients a much higher number of mast cells have been observed. It is known that UVB irradiation induces mast cell degranulation and release of TNF-alpha. The high number of mast cells present in the "screen dermatitis" patients and the possible release of specific substances, such as histamine, may explain their clinical symptoms of itch, pain, edema and erythema. The most remarkable change among cutaneous cells, after exposure with the above-mentioned irradiation sources, is the disappearance of the Langerhans' cells. This change has also been observed in "screen dermatitis" patients, again pointing to a common cellular and molecular basis. The results of this literature study demonstrate that highly similar changes exist in the skin of "screen dermatitis" patients, as regards the clinical manifestations as well as alterations in the cell populations, and in skin damaged by UV light or ionizing radiation.

Leukotriene A4 hydrolase in human skin

The biochemical properties and immunohistochemical localization of leukotriene (LT) A4 hydrolase were investigated in human skin. The activity of LTA4 hydrolase, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of LTA4 to LTB4, the most chemotactic compound known, was detected in the 100,000 x g supernatant of homogenates of human epidermis and a transformed epidermal cell line (HSC-1). No significant LTA4 hydrolase activity was detected in human whole skin or dermis. The enzymatic properties of LTA4 hydrolase isolated from human keratinocytes and peripheral leukocytes were similar. Their activities were inhibited by bestatin and captopril, and they were completely absorbed by anti-human LTA4 hydrolase antibody. By immunoblotting analysis using this antibody, LTA4 hydrolase was detected as a 70-kDa protein in human epidermis and HSC-1 and was found to be similar to the enzyme detected in peripheral mononuclear leukocytes. In human dermis, LTA4 hydrolase was barely detected by Western blotting. On the other hand, LTA4 hydrolase was demonstrated in the cytoplasm of keratinocytes in the epidermis, and in fibroblasts, infiltrating and endothelial cells in the dermis of normal human skin by immunohistochemical analysis using the immunoperoxidase method. These results suggest that LTB4 can be generated from LTA4 by LTA4 hydrolase in keratinocytes as well as fibroblasts, infiltrating and endothelial cells in the dermis of human skin.

Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Murine Epidermal Langerhans Cells: Doses of Ultraviolet Radiation that Modulate ICAM-1 (CD54) Expression and Inhibit Langerhans Cell Function Cause Delayed Cytotoxicity In Vitro

Low doses (100 J/m2) of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlamp fluorescent FS20 tubes inhibit the ability of freshly isolated murine epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) to support anti-CD3 MoAb-induced T-cell mitogenesis and selectively inhibit the upregulation of ICAM-1 expression by LC without causing appreciable cytotoxicity in short-term (less than or equal to 24 h) incubations (J Immunol 146:3347-3355, 1991). In the present study, epidermal cells (EC) were exposed to UVB radiation or were sham-irradiated and cultured for 24, 48, or 72 h when LC were recovered, enumerated, and assayed for simultaneous expression of I-A antigens and ICAM-1 by flow cytometry. UVB-irradiated LC that had been cultured for 24 h exhibited levels of I-A antigens comparable to those on unirradiated LC but expressed substantially less ICAM-1. After 48 and 72 h, cultured UVB-irradiated LC expressed somewhat lower levels of I-A antigens and markedly less ICAM-1 than unirradiated controls. Although similar numbers of LC were recovered from cultures initiated with UVB-irradiated and unirradiated epidermal cells after 24 h, far fewer identifiable LC were recovered from cultures seeded with irradiated cells at 48 and 72 h (approximately 50 and approximately 10% of control, respectively). The effect of UVB radiation on the survival of LC in vitro was not reversible with exogenous TNF alpha (125 U/ml) alone or granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (5 ng/ml) and IL-1 (50 U/ml) in combination, although these cytokines had modest effects on the expression of I-A antigens and ICAM-1 by cultured UVB-irradiated LC. Results of survival studies performed with enriched LC preparations demonstrated that UVB radiation was clearly cytotoxic for LC and did not merely downregulate surface expression of I-A antigens or alter LC buoyant density. Exposure of LC to radiation from blacklight fluorescent (UVA) tubes (0.25 J/cm2) in the presence of 8-methoxypsoralen (1 micrograms/ml; PUVA) or monochromatic UVC radiation (20 J/m2) also inhibited LC accessory cell function. Results of survival studies performed with EC that had been exposed to PUVA or UVC radiation before culture were similar to those of studies performed with UVB-irradiated cells, although PUVA- and UVC-induced LC cytotoxicity was much more pronounced 48 h after culture initiation than UVB-induced cytotoxicity. UVA radiation alone augmented LC recovery at 24 and 48 h, but did not influence I-A antigen or ICAM-1 expression.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)