Please pass the Advexin lotion.. Suntanning is regulated by p53..this is in the headlines today..here's the abstract:
Central Role of p53 in the Suntan Response and Pathologic Hyperpigmentation
Rutao Cui,1,2 Hans R. Widlund,1,2 Erez Feige,1,2 Jennifer Y. Lin,1,2 Dara L. Wilensky,1,2 Viven E. Igras,1,2 John D'Orazio,1,2,6 Claire Y. Fung,3 Carl F. Schanbacher,4 Scott R. Granter,1,5 and David E. Fisher1,2,
1 Melanoma Program in Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
2 Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
3 Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
4 Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
5 Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Corresponding author
David E. Fisher
david_fisher@dfci.harvard.edu
Summary
UV-induced pigmentation (suntanning) requires induction of a-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (a-MSH) secretion by keratinocytes. a-MSH and other bioactive peptides are cleavage products of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC). Here we provide biochemical and genetic evidence demonstrating that UV induction of POMC/MSH in skin is directly controlled by p53. Whereas p53 potently stimulates the POMC promoter in response to UV, the absence of p53, as in knockout mice, is associated with absence of the UV-tanning response. The same pathway produces ß-endorphin, another POMC derivative, which potentially contributes to sun-seeking behaviors. Furthermore, several instances of UV-independent pathologic pigmentation are shown to involve p53 “mimicking” the tanning response. p53 thus functions as a sensor/effector for UV pigmentation, which is a nearly constant environmental exposure. Moreover, this pathway is activated in numerous conditions of pathologic pigmentation and thus mimics the tanning response.
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