Development of refractoriness of HO-1 induction to a second treatment with UVA radiation and the involvement of Nrf2 in human skin fibroblasts.

UVA treatment of cultured human skin fibroblasts (FEK4) has been shown previously to reduce transcriptional activation of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) following a second dose of UVA radiation, a phenomenon known as refractoriness. This study demonstrates that the levels of HO-1 protein are also reduced after a second dose of UVA radiation as are Nrf2 levels, and there is less accumulation of Nrf2 in the nucleus where as Bach1 does accumulate in the nucleus. Cell viability is further reduced and cell membrane damage increased as compared with a single UVA treatment when an initial UVA treatment was followed by a second dose.

UVA irradiation induced heme oxygenase-1: a novel phototherapy for morphea.

Long wave UVA radiation (340-400 nm) causes detrimental as well as beneficial effects on human skin. Studies of human skin fibroblasts irradiated with UVA demonstrate increased expression of both antifibrotic heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1). The use of UVA-induced MMP-1 is well-studied in treating skin fibrotic conditions such as localized scleroderma, now called morphea.