Mechanisms of Skin Tanning in Different Racial/Ethnic Groups in Response to Ultraviolet Radiation
Open accessAbstract
Ultraviolet radiation stimulates pigmentation in human skin, but the mechanism(s) whereby this increase in melanin production (commonly known as tanning) occurs is not well understood. Few studies have examined the molecular consequences of UV on human skin of various racial backgrounds in situ. We investigated the effects of UV on human skin of various races before and at different times after a single 1 minimal erythemal dose UV exposure. We measured the distribution of DNA damage that results, as well as the melanin content/distribution and the expression of various melanocyte-specific genes. The density of melanocytes at the epidermal:dermal junction in different types of human skin are remarkably similar and do not change significantly within 1 wk after UV exposure. The expression of melanocyte-specific proteins (including TYR (tyrosinase), TYRP1 (tyrosinase-related protein 1), DCT (tyrosinase-related protein 2), MART1 (melanoma antigens recognized by T-cells) gp100 (Pmel17/silver), and MITF (micropthalmia transcription factor)) increased from 0 to 7 d after UV exposure, but the melanin content of the skin increased only slightly. The most significant change, however, was a change in the distribution of melanin from the lower layer upwards to the middle layer of the skin, which was more dramatic in the darker skin. These results provide a basis for understanding the origin of different skin colors and responses to UV within different races.
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Delayed tanning involves the redistribution of melanin more toward the surface of the skin as in IPD, changes in the shape and intracellular location of melanin, and increased de novo synthesis of eumelanin.
“Delayed tanning involves the redistribution of melanin more toward the surface of the skin as in IPD, changes in the shape and intracellular location of melanin [such as the development of protective supranuclear caps of melanosomes over the nuclei of keratinocytes (70)], and increased de novo synthesis of eumelanin (71)(72)(73).”
From Human skin pigmentation as an adaptation to UV radiation (2010) · cites this paper as [72]
The discussion passage indexed under Figure 1 identifies redistribution toward the skin surface, possible changes in melanin shape and intracellular location, and de novo melanin synthesis as tanning mechanisms. It does not specify that the newly synthesized melanin is eumelanin, and it describes redistribution as the major mechanism within one week of UV exposure. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredDarker skin tends to have higher melanin content and more melanosomes than lighter skin, but melanocyte number does not differ.
“Compared with lighter skin, darker skin tends to have higher melanin content and number of melanosomes, but no difference in the number of melanocytes is seen [5, 15, 23–26].”
From Photoprotection for skin of color (2022) · cites this paper as [26]
The yield of pyrimidine dimers in skin is strongly modulated by phototype, with dark skin accumulating lower amounts than fair skin.
“The yield of pyrimidine dimers in skin is also strongly modulated by the phototype-dark skin accumulating lower amounts of lesions than fair ones (66,67).”
From Photoinduced Damage to Cellular DNA: Direct and Photosensitized Reactions<sup>†</sup> (2012) · cites this paper as [67]
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- Authors
- Tadokoro, T., Yamaguchi, Y., Batzer, J., Coelho, S. G., Zmudzka, B. Z., Miller, S. A., Wolber, R., Beer, J. Z., & Hearing, V. J.
- Affiliations
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- Beiersdorf (Germany) (DE)
- United States Food and Drug Administration (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hearing, Vincent J.
- Venue
- Journal of Investigative Dermatology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2005-06
- Volume
- 124
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1326-1332
- ISSN
- 0022-202X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2003258166
- Cited by
- 257
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 5.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Investigative Dermatology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Skin Protection and Aging
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Melanoma and MAPK Pathways
- Keywords
- tanning, ultraviolet radiation, melanin distribution, melanocyte density, DNA damage, skin pigmentation, tyrosinase, MITF, TRP-1, tyrosinase-related protein 2, melanoma antigens, basement membrane zone, minimal erythema dose
- MeSH terms
- Cell Count, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Melanins, Melanocytes, Proteins, Skin, Skin Pigmentation, Staining and Labeling, Tissue Distribution, Ultraviolet Rays, Melanosomes, Black People, White People, Asian People
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