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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Studying Chronic Exposure of Mice to Ultraviolet B Radiation
Published on: August 19, 2025
Narrowband ultraviolet B radiation suppresses contact hypersensitivity
Yoichi Shintani1, Yoko Yasuda, Keiko Kobayashi
1Department of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
Background/Purpose:
A main mechanism responsible for the efficacy of narrowband ultraviolet (UV)B is thought to be the induction of apoptosis in pathogenetically relevant cells. Narrowband UVB therapy, however, generally induces a relatively long remission period. Recently, evidence that UVB radiation induces regulatory T (Treg) cells was reported. Based on these findings, we examined whether narrowband UVB suppresses contact hypersensitivity (CHS) by inducing Treg cells.
Methods:
The shaved abdomens of C3H/HeN mice were irradiated with broadband or narrowband UVB. CHS was defined as an ear-swelling response. To examine whether tolerance can be induced by adoptive transfer, lymph node cells from UVB-irradiated mice were injected into naïve mice before sensitization and CHS challenge.
Results:
Narrowband UVB exposure dose dependently suppressed CHS. Significant suppression was observed at doses between 1000 and 3000 mJ/cm(2) (P<0.05). The suppressive effect achieved with 1000 mJ/cm(2) narrowband UVB was very similar to the effect achieved with 100 mJ/cm(2) broadband UVB. The suppressive effects on CHS were transferred to naïve mice by the injection of lymph node cells from tolerant mice.
Conclusion:
Narrowband UVB induced local and systemic suppression of CHS. In addition, narrowband UVB induces tolerance to CHS and the suppressive effects were transferable to naïve mice.
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