Mice with genetically determined high susceptibility to ultraviolet (UV)-induced immunosuppression show enhanced UV carcinogenesis

To assess the premise that genetically determined differences in susceptibility to UV-induced immunosuppression are reflected in UV carcinogenesis, we investigated UV skin cancer induction in two strains of reciprocal F-1 hybrid mice CB6F(1) males with high susceptibility to UV immunosuppression and a BALB/c X-chromosome and B6CF(1) males with low susceptibility to UV immunosuppression and a C57BL/6 X-chromosome. Four experimental groups comprising both strains treated three times weekly with two UV regimens (daily doses incremented from 2.25 to 6 or 4.5 to 12 kJ per m(2)) were monitored for skin tumor development. Survival without a skin tumor differed over the four groups (p< 0.0001) and differed according to UV regimen within each strain (p<0.0005). Differences between strains were significant for the higher dose (p=0.03) but not for the lower dose (p=0.19) of UV, suggesting a dose-strain interaction. Comparing the higher UV dose regimen to the lower UV dose regimen within a strain at three reference points, tumor-free survival was reduced significantly more (p<0.05) in the CB6F(1) mice than in the B6CF(1) mice. Histologic assessment of all tumors revealed fibrosarcomas, squamous carcinomas, and mixed tumors. Immunohistochemistry of the mixed tumors for vimentin, keratin, and E-cadherin confirmed the presence of squamous and fibrosarcomatous elements. The enhanced susceptibility to UV carcinogenesis of CB6F(1) males treated with the higher UV pro-tocol was attributable to a significantly enhanced proportion (p<0.005) of mixed tumors. Analysis of the data by comparing the proportion of animals tumor free at three reference time points confirmed a dose-strain interaction only in the development of mixed tumors, putatively the malignantly advanced carcinomas (p<0.03). A dose-strain interaction was also observed for systemic UV immunosuppression of contact hypersensitivity (p<0.025). These findings support the concept that genetic differences in susceptibility to UV-induced immunosuppression may be a risk factor for skin cancer.