The acute effects of ultraviolet radiation on the blood transcriptome are independent of plasma 25OHD{sub 3}

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 159; p. 239
• Main Authors: Bustamante, Mariona, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Hernandez-Ferrer, Carles, Sarria, Yaris, Harrison, Graham I., Nonell, Lara, Kang, Wenjing, Friedländer, Marc R., Estivill, Xavier, González, Juan R., Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark, Young, Antony R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 15-11-2017
• Subjects: 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; Blood; BLOOD CELLS; BLOOD PRESSURE; Gene expression; GENES; MiRNA expression; PLASMA; Solar ultraviolet radiation; ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION; Vitamin D
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVRES.2017.07.045

The molecular basis of many health outcomes attributed to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that they may originate from transcriptional changes in blood cells. This was determined by assessing the effect of fluorescent solar simulated radiation (FSSR) on the transcriptional profile of peripheral blood pre- and 6 h, 24 h and 48 h post-exposure in nine healthy volunteers. Expression of 20 genes was down-regulated and one was up-regulated at 6 h after FSSR. All recovered to baseline expression at 24 h or 48 h. These genes have been associated with immune regulation, cancer and blood pressure; health effects attributed to vitamin D via solar UVR exposure. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D{sub 3} [25OHD{sub 3}] levels increased over time after FSSR and were maximal at 48 h. The increase was more pronounced in participants with low basal 25OHD{sub 3} levels. Mediation analyses suggested that changes in gene expression due to FSSR were independent of 25OHD{sub 3} and blood cell subpopulations. - Highlights: • Exposure to UVR induced transient changes in gene expression in blood cells. • Affected genes are related to immune regulation, cancer and blood pressure. • UVR increased 25OHD{sub 3} over time, especially in participants with low baseline levels. • The acute effects of UVR on the blood transcriptome are independent of 25OHD{sub 3}.