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Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Studying Chronic Exposure of Mice to Ultraviolet B Radiation
Published on: August 19, 2025
Narrow-band UVB-induced externalization of selected nuclear antigens in keratinocytes: implications for lupus
Adam Reich1, Michael Meurer, Antje Viehweg
1Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland. adi_medicalis@go2.pl
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to analyze whether sera obtained from patients with lupus erythematosus (LE) react with membrane structures found on keratinocytes irradiated with narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB). We applied atomic force microscopy (AFM) to visualize cell surface structures expressing nuclear antigens upon apoptosis following NB-UVB irradiation. Immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) were cultured under standard conditions, irradiated with 800 mJ cm(-2) NB-UVB light and imaged by AFM mounted on an inverted optical microscope. It was observed that NB-UVB irradiation provoked significant alterations of the keratinocyte morphology and led to the membrane expression of antigens recognized by anti-La and anti-Ro 60 kDa sera but not by antidouble-strand DNA sera. The presence of La and Ro 60 kDa antigens on keratinocyte surfaces after NB-UVB irradiation was limited mainly to the small bleb-like protrusions found on the keratinocytes by AFM. A closer investigation by AFM also revealed that some structures positively stained with anti-Ro 60 kDa serum were also located submembranously. We hypothesize that the externalization of some nuclear antigens because of NB-UVB exposure might be responsible for exacerbation of skin symptoms in patients suffering from LE.
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