Issue 6, 2014

How much sunlight is enough?

Abstract

Living on a sun-drenched planet has necessitated adaption to and protection from the harmful effects of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, particularly skin cancer. However, convincing epidemiological and recent empirical evidence also supports a protective effect of UV against a range of diseases including multiple sclerosis, asthma and cardiovascular disease. Despite years of research attention into the biological effects of sunlight exposure, we are still far from being able to fully answer the question: How much sunlight is enough? This is probably because the answer is dependent on many complex and interacting variables. Many talented researchers are focused on exploring whether UV-induced vitamin D explains some of these effects. This perspectives article proposes an alternative hypothesis, namely that targeting UV-induced immune suppression by affecting the activation of regulatory cells and molecules will be of therapeutic benefit.

Graphical abstract: How much sunlight is enough?

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
13 Feb 2014
Accepted
17 Apr 2014
First published
28 Apr 2014

Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2014,13, 840-852

How much sunlight is enough?

S. N. Byrne, Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2014, 13, 840 DOI: 10.1039/C4PP00051J

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