# ENVIRONMENTAL ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT AND CYTOSKELETAL DAMAGE

> **NIH NIH R01** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · 1988 · $117,117

## Abstract

Since solar ultraviolet (UV) light is the major cause of skin
cancer, it is important to identify the UV induced cellular lesions
which may contribute to the carcinogenic process.  In addition to
pursuing the role of DNA damage, the importance of UV induced
alterations of other cellular components must also be considered.
It is the aim of the current study to investigate disruption of the
cytoskeleton resulting from exposure of cultured cells to
environmentally relevant wavelengths of UV light.  The
cytoskeleton has been selected for investigation since it is an
important participant in the regulation of normal cell growth, and
disruption of this complex cytoplasmic structure may result in
detrimental cellular dysfunctions.

Normal human skin fibroblast and epidermal keratinocyte cell
strains, cultured under varying growth conditions, will be utilized
to characterize UV light induced alterations of cytosketetal
microtubules, microfilaments and intermediate filaments.
Cytoskeletons of cells exposed to polychromatic UV light
composed of environmentally relevant wavelengths or to the more
commonly used short wavelength (254 nm) UV light will be studied
by fluorescence microscopy.  The cytoskeleton of keratinocytes
which have been UV irradiated at different stages of
differentiation will also be examined.  In addition, the
cytoskeleton of fibroblasts derived from patients with xeroderma
pigmentosum, Bloom's syndrome and Cockayne's syndrome will be
investigated in order to determine if cytoskeletal damage may
contribute to the photosensitivity of cells.  Having determined
that long wavelength UV light disrupts microtubules in normal
cells, experiments will be performed to differentiate between the
disruption of microtubules resulting from damage to microtubules
assembled prior to irradiation or from changes in unassembled
dimeric tubulin subunits.  This will be accomplished by examining
the effect of UV light on extracted cytoskeletons and by studying
the repolymerization of tubulin in cells which contain only the
dimeric form of tubulin at the time of irradiation.  The role of
reactive oxygen species in the formation of altered cytoskeletons
will also be explored.  Furthermore, tubulin extracted from UV
irradiated and control cells will be examined using SDS
polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in order to determine if UV
light induces the formation of high molecular weight, cross-linked
tubulin.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3158909
- **Project number:** 1R01AR038900-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FBYMGMHW4X95
- **Principal Investigator:** GLEN B ZAMANSKY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $117,117
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1988-04-01 → 1991-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3158909

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3158909, ENVIRONMENTAL ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT AND CYTOSKELETAL DAMAGE (1R01AR038900-01A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3158909. Licensed CC0.

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