Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1985 Dec:63 ( Pt 6):655-65.
doi: 10.1038/icb.1985.69.

Effect of immunosuppressive agents and sunscreens on UV carcinogenesis in the hairless mouse

V E Reeve, G E Greenoak, C H Gallagher, P J Canfield, F J Wilkinson

Effect of immunosuppressive agents and sunscreens on UV carcinogenesis in the hairless mouse

V E Reeve et al. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci. 1985 Dec.

Abstract

The effect of two immunosuppressive agents, azathioprine and cyclophosphamide, with and without UVB sunscreen protection on UV-induced skin carcinogenesis was studied in the albino hairless mouse. In a daily treatment regime spanning 9 weeks, groups of mice were immunosuppressed with either drug, and were exposed to minimally erythemal doses of a light source simulating the UV portion of the solar spectrum. The accumulated UV exposure alone induced skin tumours in 77% of mice. Azathioprine, but not cyclophosphamide, significantly enhanced the incidence of UV tumorigenesis. Photoprotection by topical application of one of two commonly used UVB sunscreens, 2-ethyl-hexyl-p-methoxycinnamate (2-EHMC) or octyl-N-dimethyl-p-aminobenzoate (o-PABA), reduced the UV tumour incidence to zero in immunologically normal mice and to 8-15% in immunosuppressed mice. Unexpressed latent tumour initiations were revealed in all sunscreen-protected groups by the subsequent application of a tumour promoter, croton oil. In immunologically normal mice 2-EHMC had allowed initiations in 39% of UV-irradiated mice, and o-PABA in 16.5%. However, in UV-irradiated mice immunosuppressed with azathioprine there had been initiations in 78% of mice protected with 2-EHMC and 65% of mice protected with o-PABA. Photoprotected mice immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide did not show the same increase in UV-initiations (22% with 2-EHMC, 23% with o-PABA). These results provide evidence that azathioprine increases the susceptibility of the skin to UV carcinogenesis. However, UVB sunscreens afford effective protection from overt tumour expression in the absence of a tumour promoter.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources