Induction of pyrimidine dimers and unscheduled DNA synthesis in cultured mouse epithelial cells exposed to 254-nm- and u.v.-B radiation.

The induction and fate of pyrimidine dimers and unscheduled DNA synthesis were measured in u.v.-irradiated primary, newborn SENCAR mouse epithelial cells. Unscheduled DNA synthesis was induced in a dose responsive manner by two u.v. sources, a germicidal lamp (254 nm) and an FS40 sunlamp (280--400 nm). Using the endonuclease-sensitive site assay to detect pyrimidine dimer production and excision, we examined the response of the newborn mouse cells to both u.v. sources. We were unable to detect the removal of pyrimidine dimers with either of the two sources of u.v. The speculation is made that primary, newborn mouse epidermal cells excise u.v.-induced pyrimidine dimers to an extent below the level of detection of the endonuclease-sensitive site assay but to an extent sufficient to induce unscheduled DNA synthesis.