Understanding the Role of Photolyases: Photoprotection and Beyond.

The limitations of photoprotection modalities have been the inability to arrest the progression of photodamage. Chemoprevention strategies involving a sunscreen has been incomplete because of the need to induce sustained repair of mutations and slow carcinogenesis. Photolyases, or photoreactivation enzymes, serve the role of repairing mutations and damage to DNA induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation and therefore influence the initiation phases of carcinogenesis. As these enzymes are absent in humans, exogenous forms have been manufactured and are now utilized in topical agents to supplement and augment the innate repair mechanisms that are mostly inefficient. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5 Suppl):61-66.