TANNING SALON EXPOSURE SUPPRESSION OF DNA REPAIR CAPACITY AND MITOGEN-INDUCED DNA SYNTHESIS

Abstract
Mitogen responsiveness and the capacity to repair genetic damage were measured in lymphocytes collected from young, healthy, adult Caucasians immediately before exposure in commercial tanning salons and again 24 h after exposure. For every individual studied, tanning exposure produced significant inhibition of phytohemagglutinin-induced mitogenesis or of the ability to repair DNA lesions by unscheduled DNA synthesis. The results imply that such exposure could: (1) pose a significant hazard for individuals who are already immunosuppressed (e.g. cancer patients, AIDS patients or carriers of latent HIV) and (2) increase the carcinogenic effects of environmental mutagens.