UV and skin cancer: Specific p53 gene mutation in normal skin as a biologically relevant exposure measurement

Abstract

Many human skin tumors contain mutated p53 genes that probably result from UV exposure. To investigate the link between UV exposure and p53 gene mutation, we developed two methods to detect presumptive UV-specific p53 gene mutations in UV-exposed normal skin. The methods are based on mutant allele- specific PCRs and ligase chain reactions and designed to detect CC to TT mutations at codons 245 and 247/248, using 10 μg of DNA samples. These specific mutations in the p53 gene have been reported in skin tumors. CC to TT mutations in the p53 gene were detected in cultured human skin cells only after UV irradiation, and the mutation frequency increased with increasing UV dose. Seventeen of 23 sam..