To assess the premise that genetically determined differences in susceptibility to UV-induced immunosuppression are reflected in UV carcinogenesis, we investigated UV skin cancer induction in two strains of reciprocal F 1 hybrid mice CB6F 1 males with high susceptibility to UV immunosuppression and a BALB/c X-chromosome and B6CF 1 males with low susceptibility to UV immunosuppression and a C57BL/ 6 X-chromosome. Four experimental groups comprising both strains treated three times weekly with two UV regimens (daily doses incremented from 2.25 to 6 or 4. 5 to 12 kJ per m 2) were monitored for skin tumor development. Survival without a skin tumor differed over the four groups (p < 0.0001) and differed according to UV regimen within each strain (p < 0.0005). Differences between strains were significant for the higher dose (p = 0.03) but not for the lower dose (p = 0.19) of UV, suggesting a dose-strain interaction. Comparing the higher UV dose regimen to the lower UV dose regimen within a strain at three reference points, tumor-free survival was reduced significantly more (p < 0.05) in the CB6F 1 mice than in the B6CF 1 mice. Histologic assessment of all tumors revealed fibrosarcomas, squamous carcinomas, and mixed tumors. Immunohistochemistry of the mixed tumors for vimentin, keratin, and E-cadherin confirmed the presence of squamous and fibrosarcomatous elements. The enhanced susceptibility to UV carcinogenesis of CB6F 1 males treated with the higher UV pro-tocol was attributable to a significantly enhanced proportion (p < 0.005) of mixed tumors. Analysis of the data by comparing the proportion of animals tumor free at three reference time points confirmed a dose-strain interaction only in the development of mixed tumors, putatively the malignantly advanced carcinomas (p < 0.03). A dose-strain interaction was also observed for systemic UV immunosuppression of contact hypersensitivity (p < 0.025). These findings support the concept that genetic differences in susceptibility to UV-induced immunosuppression may be a risk factor for skin cancer.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Medical and Health Sciences
Research Group:	Immunology
Research Field:	Tumour Immunology
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions)
Objective Field:	Cancer and Related Disorders
UTAS Author:	Muller, HK (Professor Konrad Muller)
ID Code:	28444
Year Published:	2003
Web of Science® Times Cited:	15
Deposited By:	Pathology
Deposited On:	2003-08-01
Last Modified:	2011-10-12
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