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DNA repair

Damage limitation

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 3, page 6 (2002)Cite this article

Exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation induces the apoptotic cell death of keratinocytes, which leads to the appearance of sunburn cells (SCs) in the epidermis. The discovery that p53 is involved in this process led scientists to believe that the formation of SCs was a protective mechanism to destroy cells with irreparable DNA damage that could lead to skin cancer.

But does that mean the body just destroys cells and makes no effort to repair the DNA? Further studies suggested this might not be the case, as cytokines such as interleukin-1 were found to influence UV-induced apoptosis, although the mechanism was unknown.

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Schwarz, A. et al. Interleukin-12 suppresses ultraviolet radiation-induced apoptosis by inducing DNA repair. Nature Cell Biol. 4, 26–31 (2002)

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  1. Simon Frantz
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Frantz, S. Damage limitation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 3, 6 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm713

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm713

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