UV Inflammation and Melanoma

Although ultraviolet irradiation is known to induce mutations, which may accelerate the formation of skin cancers including melanoma, the effect of UV on the local cutaneous microenvironment has not been fully characterized. Recently, investigators used a mouse model of melanoma to examine secondary effects UV on melanoma progression.

They initiated repetitive UV exposure in mice genetically engineered to develop invasive and metastatic melanomas similar to lesions in humans. After two erythemal UV doses, the mice showed an inflammatory infiltrate of neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages and reactive proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes and peripheral blood neutrophilia. Further exposure (twice weekly for 6 weeks) led to melanocyte acc…