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Updated: Aug 14, 2025

Application of Laser Micro-irradiation for Examination of Single and Double Strand Break Repair in Mammalian Cells
Published on: September 5, 2017
DNA damage and somatic mutations in mammalian cells after irradiation with a nail polish dryer
Maria Zhivagui1,2,3, Areebah Hoda1, Noelia Valenzuela3
1Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Abstract:
Ultraviolet A light is commonly emitted by UV-nail polish dryers with recent reports suggesting that long-term use may increase the risk for developing skin cancer. However, no experimental evaluation has been conducted to reveal the effect of radiation emitted by UV-nail polish dryers on mammalian cells. Here, we show that irradiation by a UV-nail polish dryer causes high levels of reactive oxygen species, consistent with 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. Analysis of somatic mutations reveals a dose-dependent increase of C:G>A:T substitutions in irradiated samples with mutagenic patterns similar to mutational signatures previously attributed to reactive oxygen species. In summary, this study demonstrates that radiation emitted by UV-nail polish dryers can both damage DNA and permanently engrave mutations on the genomes of primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts, human foreskin fibroblasts, and human epidermal keratinocytes.
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