INDUCTION and DISAPPEARANCE OF THYMINE DIMERS IN HUMAN SKIN EXPOSED TO UVB RADIATION: FLOW CYTOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS IN REPLICATING and NONREPLICATING EPIDERMAL CELLS

We have earlier reported on determining UV-induced DNA damage in murine epidermal cell suspensions by flow cytometric analysis of the fluorescence from a fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled antibody (H3) directed against thymine dimers (T < > T). Here we present an optimization of the technique for analysis of epidermal cell suspensions from 4 mm biopsies from human skin. Cells with different DNA contents can easily be distinguished in flow cytometry by the intensity of DNA-specific 7-amino-actinomycin D fluorescence. Genuine G2-M-phase cells can further be distinguished from cell doublets by pulse-shape discrimination. Thus, T < > T levels in individual cells with different DNA contents (i.e. G0-G1, S or G2-M phases) can be determined after in vivo exposure of human skin to environmentally relevant UVB (280-315 nm) doses. The method was applied to measure the decrease of T < > T in nonreplicating cells (G0-G1 phase) and replicating cells (S phase or G2-M phase) from seven volunteers exposed to twice their minimal erythema dose. The reduction in the average T < > T-specific fluorescence at 24 h after exposure was 46% (ranging between 16% and 66%) for the G0-G1 cells and 70% (ranging between 37% and 100%) for the S + G2-M cells. The difference was statistically highly significant. Determination of individual DNA repair capacities with this method can become a convenient diagnostic tool for patients with DNA repair disorders, or it may even be used to identify individuals with low repair proficiencies and increased risk of developing skin cancers.