Antiapoptotic effects induced by different wavelengths of ultraviolet light

Cells receive signals for survival as well as for death, and the balance between the two ultimately determines the fate of the cells. UV-triggered apoptotic signaling has been well documented, whereas UV-induced survival effects have received little attention. We have reported previously that UVB irradiation prevented apoptosis, which is partly dependent on activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase)-Akt pathway (Ibuki Y. and Goto, R. [2000] Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 279, 872-878). In this study, antiapoptotic effects and survival signals of UV with different wavelength ranges, UVA, UVB and UVC, were examined. NIH3T3 cells showed apoptotic cell death by detachment from the extracellular matrix under serum-free conditions, which was prevented by all wavelengths. However, the effect of UVA was less than those of UVB and UVC, as determined by metabolism of fluoresceine diacetate and the appearance of chromatin-condensed cells. Furthermore, the effects of three wavelengths of UV on the apoptotic pathway upstream of the nuclear signals were examined. Reduction of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (delta psi) and activation of caspase-9 and -3 were suppressed by all three wavelengths of UV, showing wavelength-dependent effects as mentioned previously. Shorter wavelengths showed stronger inhibitory effects on caspase-8 activity. The P13-kinase inhibitor wortmannin partially inhibited the UVB- and UVC-induced suppression of apoptosis but not the inhibitory effect of UVA. Furthermore, normal delta psi maintained by UVA was not changed in the presence of wortmannin, but those by UVB and UVC were reduced. Akt was clearly phosphorylated by all three wavelengths. The phosphorylation by UVB and UVC was completely inhibited by addition of wortmannin, but that by UVA was not, in agreement with the results of survival and of delta psi. These results suggested the existence of two different survival pathways leading to suppression of apoptosis, one for UVA that is independent of the PI3-kinase-Akt pathway and the other for UVB and UVC that is dependent on this pathway.