| First Author | Jux B | Year | 2011 |
| Journal | J Invest Dermatol | Volume | 131 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 203-10 |
| PubMed ID | 20861855 | Mgi Jnum | J:179854 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5304250 | Doi | 10.1038/jid.2010.269 |
| Citation | Jux B, et al. (2011) The aryl hydrocarbon receptor mediates UVB radiation-induced skin tanning. J Invest Dermatol 131(1):203-10 |
| abstractText | Melanogenesis is the vital response to protect skin cells against UVB-induced DNA damage. Melanin is produced by melanocytes, which transfer it to surrounding keratinocytes. Recently, we have shown that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is part of the UVB-stress response in epidermal keratinocytes. UVB triggers AhR signaling by generating the AhR ligand 6-formylindolo(3,2-b)carbazole from tryptophan. We show here that normal murine melanocytes express functional AhR. Using standard UVB tanning protocols, AhR-deficient mice were shown to tan significantly weaker than wild-type mice; in these mice, tyrosinase activity in the epidermis was lower as well. Tanning responses and tyrosinase activity, however, were normal in keratinocyte-specific conditional AhR knockout mice, indicating that release of melanogenic keratinocyte factors is unaffected by the UVB-AhR signaling pathway and that the diminished tanning response in AhR(-/-) mice is confined to the level of melanocytes. Accordingly, the number of dihydroxyphenylalanin-positive melanocytes increased significantly less on UVB irradiation in AhR(-/-) mice than in wild-type mice. This difference in melanocyte number was associated with a significantly reduced expression of stem cell factor-1 and c-kit in melanocytes of AhR(-/-) mice. Thus, the environmental signal sensor AhR links solar UVB radiation to skin pigmentation. |
