Expression data from human skin exposed to solar-simulated radiation with or without sunscreen

Despite widespread use of sunscreens that minimize erythema by blocking ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, incidence rates of melanoma continue to rise. In considering this disparity between intervention and disease prevalence, we investigated the in vivo transcriptome of human skin treated with sunscreen and solar-simulated radiation (ssR). A focal skin area of healthy participants was exposed to ssR at 1 minimal erythema dose (MED), 0.1 MED or 100 J/m2 with or without prior application of sunscreen, or to non-UVB-spectrum of ssR (solar-simulated UVA/visible/infrared radiation: ssA). Skin biopsies were analyzed using expression microarrays. Ninety-eight microarrays from 14 healthy human volunteers were analyzed. Focal skin areas of all 14 volunteers were exposed to 0 J/m2, 100 J/m2, 1 minimal erythema dose (MED), and 0.1 MED of solar-simulated radiation (ssR). Eight of the 14 volunteers (Group 1) were also exposed to ssA (ssR minus UVB) that were generated by removing UVB from 0 J/m2, 100 J/m2, 1 minimal erythema dose (MED), and 0.1 MED of ssR. Additionally, 6 of the 14 volunteers (Group 2) were treated with sunscreen of sun protection factor (SPF) 15, and exposed to 0 J/m2, 100 J/m2, 1 minimal erythema dose (MED), and 0.1 MED of ssR. Biopsy was taken 24 hours after exposure from each focal skin area for RNA extraction.