Effect of Ultraviolet Irradiation on Biosynthesis of Dna in Guinea-Pig Skin in Vivo

The molecular and metabolic alterations preceding the clinical manifestation of a photobiologic process, the erythematous or sunburn reaction, were investigated in mammalian skin in vivo. The effect of a moderate (2.5–3 times the minimal erythema dose [MED]) and a large (6–8 times MED) dose of ultraviolet radiation (290–320 nm) on the incorporation of [ Me - 3 H]-thymidine into epidermal cell DNA of guinea pigs was studied. The epilated half of the back of each animal was irradiated with various doses of ultraviolet light, and the other half served as the nonirradiated control. The amount of intraperitoneally injected [ Me - 3 H]-thymidine incorporated into the DNA was determined by the iso…