Ultraviolet-B-induced G1 arrest is mediated by downregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 in transformed keratinocytes lacking functional p53.

In order to identify potential novel targets for ultraviolet-B-induced skin tumorigenesis, we assessed the effect of ultraviolet-B exposure on cell cycle progression of transformed keratinocytes with mutant p53. We show that ultraviolet-B exposure of human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells results in G1 cell cycle arrest in both asynchronously growing and synchronized cells. A significant increase in G1 cell population was observed following exposure to doses of ultraviolet-B as low as 10 mJ per cm2. When irradiated with ultraviolet-B, cells synchronized in G1 with mimosine did not exit G1. G1 cell cycle arrest was associated with a decrease in the hyperphosphorylated forms of retinoblastoma protein that was detectable within 4 h and gradually disappeared by 12 h. We also observed a decrease in cyclins D1, D2, and D3, and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 proteins, and a concomitant decrease in cyclin-dependent kinase 4/cyclin D1 associated kinase activity, whereas ultraviolet-B exposure had no effect on cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 levels during this time period. Incubation of cells with proteasome inhibitors MG-115 and MG-132 prevented the decrease in cyclin D1, D2, and D3, and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 protein. Taken together, our results suggest that ultraviolet-B-induced cell cycle arrest in A431 cells is mediated by cyclin-dependent kinase 4 downregulation. This identifies a novel pathway for G1 cell cycle arrest in transformed keratinocytes following ultraviolet-B irradiation.