Cited by 1,497Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer StudiesSkin Protection and AgingCancer-related Molecular Pathways

Sunburn and p53 in the onset of skin cancer

Ziegler, Annemarie, Jonason, Alan S., Leffellt, David J., Simon, Jeffrey A., Sharma, Harsh W., Kimmelman, Jonathan, Remington, Lee, Jacks, Tyler +1 more·1994·Nature

Abstract

Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (SCC) can progress by stages: sun-damaged epidermis, with individual disordered keratinocytes; actinic keratosis (AK), spontaneously regressing keratinized patches having aberrant cell differentiation and proliferation; carcinoma in situ; SCC and metastasis. To understand how sunlight acts as a carcinogen, we determined the stage at which sunlight mutates the p53 tumour-suppressor gene and identified a function for p53 in skin. The p53 mutations induced by ultraviolet radiation and found in > 90% of human SCCs were present in AKs. Inactivating p53 in mouse skin reduced the appearance of sunburn cells, apoptotic keratinocytes generated by overexposure to ultraviolet. Skin thus appears to possess a p53-dependent 'guardian-of-the-tissue' response to DNA damage which aborts precancerous cells. If this response is reduced in a single cell by a prior p53 mutation, sunburn can select for clonal expansion of the p53-mutated cell into the AK. Sunlight can act twice: as tumour initiator and tumour promoter.

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Crossref · 10.1038/372773a0

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Authors
Ziegler, A., Jonason, A. S., Leffellt, D. J., Simon, J. A., Sharma, H. W., Kimmelman, J., Remington, L., Jacks, T., & Brash, D. E.
Affiliations
  • Yale University (US)
  • Oregon Health & Science University (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Venue
Nature
Published
1994-12
Volume
372
Issue
6508
Pages
773-776
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W1993358791
Cited by
1,497
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 41 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 40
FWCI
62.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Skin Protection and Aging
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer-related Molecular Pathways
Keywords
p53, sunburn, skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, actinic keratosis, ultraviolet radiation, TP53 mutation, keratinocyte apoptosis, DNA damage response, tumor initiation, tumor promotion, clonal expansion, carcinogenesis
MeSH terms
Animals, Carcinoma, Squamous Cell, DNA Mutational Analysis, Humans, Keratosis, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mutation, Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced, Skin, Skin Neoplasms, Sunburn, Sunlight, Ultraviolet Rays, Genes, p53, Apoptosis, Mice

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