Application habits and practices of regular sunscreen users in the United States: Results of an online survey.

A nationwide online survey assessed claimed usage of sunscreen products in 2283 self-identified regular sun protection factor (SPF) consumers (RSPFC) in the United States. Subjects applied sunscreen most frequently when spending more than 3 h in the sun. Sunscreen usage peaks during the summer, with sunny weather prompting 99% usage of beach/recreational SPF products but drops to approximately 50% and 30% on partly cloudy and cloudy days, respectively, regardless of SPF product category.

Intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility and accuracy of the LuSens assay: A reporter gene-cell line to detect keratinocyte activation by skin sensitizers.

Several non-animal methods are now available to address the key events leading to skin sensitization as defined by the adverse outcome pathway. The KeratinoSens assay addresses the cellular event of keratinocyte activation and is a method accepted under OECD TG 442D. In this study, the results of an inter-laboratory evaluation of the "me-too" LuSens assay, a bioassay that uses a human keratinocyte cell line harboring a reporter gene construct composed of the rat antioxidant response element (ARE) of the NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase 1 gene and the luciferase gene, are described.

Using novel in vitro NociOcular assay based on TRPV1 channel activation for prediction of eye sting potential of baby shampoos.

The transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) channel is one of the most well-characterized pain-inducing receptors. The purpose of this study was to predict human eye stinging of 19 baby bath and shampoo formulations by studying TRPV1 activity, as measured by increase in intracellular free Ca(2+). The NociOcular test, a novel recombinant neuronal in vitro model with high expression of functional TRPV1 channels, was used to test formulations containing a variety of surfactants, preservatives, and fragrances.

Somatic alterations in mitochondrial DNA produce changes in cell growth and metabolism supporting a tumorigenic phenotype.

There have been many reports of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations associated with human malignancies. We have observed allelic instability in UV-induced cutaneous tumors at the mt-Tr locus encoding the mitochondrial tRNA for arginine. We examined the effects of somatic alterations at this locus by modeling the change in a uniform nuclear background by generating cybrids harboring allelic variation at mt-Tr.

The bovine corneal opacity and permeability test in routine ocular irritation testing and its improvement within the limits of OECD test guideline 437.

Data on eye irritation are generally needed for the hazard identification of chemicals. As the Bovine Corneal Opacity and Permeability (BCOP) test has been accepted by many regulatory agencies for the identification of corrosive and severe ocular irritants since September 2009 (OECD Test Guideline 437, TG 437), we evaluated this alternative method for routine testing at BASF. We demonstrated our technical proficiency by testing the reference standards recommended in TG 437, and 21 additional materials with published BCOP and in vivo data.

The intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility and predictivity of the KeratinoSens assay to predict skin sensitizers in vitro: results of a ring-study in five laboratories.

Due to regulatory constraints and ethical considerations, research on alternatives to animal testing to predict the skin sensitization potential of novel chemicals has gained a high priority. Accordingly, different in vitro, in silico and in chemico approaches have been described in the scientific literature to achieve this goal. To replace regulatory approved animal tests, these alternatives need to be transferable to other labs, their within and between laboratory reproducibility must be assured, and their predictivity should be high.

Cyclosporine A suppresses keratinocyte cell death through MPTP inhibition in a model for skin cancer in organ transplant recipients.

Transplant recipients have an elevated risk of skin cancer, with a 65- to 250-fold increase in squamous cell carcinoma. Usage of the immunosuppressant cyclosporine A (CsA) is associated with the development of skin cancer. We hypothesized that the increased incidence of skin cancer was due to the action of CsA within keratinocyte mitochondria where it can inhibit mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening.

NOX4 mediates hypoxia-induced proliferation of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells: the role of autocrine production of transforming growth factor-{beta}1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3.

Persistent hypoxia can cause pulmonary arterial hypertension that may be associated with significant remodeling of the pulmonary arteries, including smooth muscle cell proliferation and hypertrophy. We previously demonstrated that the NADPH oxidase homolog NOX4 mediates human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (HPASMC) proliferation by transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1). We now show that hypoxia increases HPASMC proliferation in vitro, accompanied by increased reactive oxygen species generation and NOX4 gene expression, and is inhibited by antioxidants, the flavoenzyme inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), and NOX4 gene silencing.

Nox4 mediates TGF-beta1-induced retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation, proliferation, and hypertrophy in human airway smooth muscle cells.

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) plays a pivotal role in increasing airway smooth muscle mass in severe asthma by inducing proliferation and hypertrophy of human airway smooth muscle. The mechanism(s) for these effects of TGF-beta1 have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that TGF-beta1 is a potent inducer of expression of the nonphagocyte NAD(P)H oxidase catalytic homolog Nox4, diphenylene iodonium-inhibitable reactive oxygen species production, proliferation, and hypertrophy in cultured human airway smooth muscle cells.

Transforming growth factor-beta1 induces Nox4 NAD(P)H oxidase and reactive oxygen species-dependent proliferation in human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is abundantly expressed in pulmonary hypertension, but its effect on the pulmonary circulation remains unsettled. We studied the consequences of TGF-beta1 stimulation on freshly isolated human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (HPASMC). TGF-beta1 initially promoted differentiation, with upregulated expression of smooth muscle contractile proteins.

Human leukocyte elastase gene expression is regulated by PU.1 in conjunction with closely associated cytidine-rich and Myb binding sites.

Leukocyte elastase (LE) degrades connective tissue, is involved in the inflammatory process and implicated in cyclic and congenital neutropenia. The human LE gene is within a serine proteinase locus on chromosome 19 pter13.3.