Vitamin D and Sunlight-Induced Death

• B Maciejovsky

  English

  Author

Skin cancer is mostly caused by sun exposure. Sunlight's ultraviolet radiation (UV) may kill
skin cells and damage DNA via direct absorption. Additionally, UV produces reactive oxygen species,
which may interact with DNA to indirectly damage it via oxidative processes. UV causes skin cells to
accumulate more p53, which upregulates repair genes while encouraging the death of cells that are
irrevocably damaged. One advantage of sunshine is that it produces vitamin D, which is created when 7-
dehydrocholesterol in skin cells is exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Several physiologically active
substances, such as 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, are produced by the metabolism of the comparatively
inert vitamin D. Vitamin D compounds have showed promise in the treatment of many cancers, but more
recently, they have also been shown to shield human skin cells against UV-induced DNA damage and cell
death. The effects of vitamin D compounds on UV-exposed skin cells are covered here. We specifically
look at the many signaling pathways that protect skin cells from UV rays when vitamin D is present.

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