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Ultraviolet Radiation A-induced Precursors of Cutaneous Melanoma in Monodelphis domestica¹

Pathophysiology Division, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108

Two groups of 30 dorsally shaved opossums (Monodelphis domestica) were exposed three times per week for 81 weeks to 250 J/m² of UV radiation from FS40 sunlamps (150 J/m² of UV radiation B; UV-B), or to 2.5 x 10⁴ J/m² of UV radiation A (UV-A) from filtered F40BLB fluorescent lamps (black lights). Animals were monitored for the apppearance of nonmelanoma skin tumors (NMSTs) and melanocytic hyperplasia (MH). After 81 weeks of exposures, the prevalence of NMSTs was 71% and 4% for animals exposed to UV-B and UV-A, respectively. The difference between the treatment groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001). However, the prevalence of MH in the treatment groups, 31% for UV-B-exposed animals and 22% for UV-A-exposed animals, was not significantly different (P > 0.05). Thus, a dose of UV-A that was relatively ineffective in producing NMSTs, compared to UV-B, was as effective as UV-B in the induction of MH. If, as shown previously, MH is the precursor lesion for melanoma in this model, these results suggest that the action spectra for the induction of melanoma and NMSTs in the opossum are different.

¹ This work was supported by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at Pathophysiology Division, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, 2425 Ridgecrest Drive, Southeast, Albuquerque, NM 87108.

Received 6/ 6/97. Accepted 7/16/97.

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