Heat shock and UV-B-induced DNA damage and mutagenesis in skin.

There is evidence that heat pre-treatment protects cultured human keratinocytes and normal murine and human skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced cell death. It has been suggested that heat-shock proteins (hsps), particularly hsp72, are involved in this effect. Hsps are expressed in response to various types of stress, such as UV radiation. Whether heat shock interferes with the repair of UV-induced DNA damage and whether this can be regarded as a protective mechanism is poorly understood and needs further experimental investigation. This review gives an overview of the current state of research in the area.