“Sunlight plays a pivotal role in your overall wellbeing and health” and yes, it’s not only in your head but a science-backed statement
It provides Vitamin D; however, excessive exposure may pose a serious impact on your health, increasing the risks of skin cancer.
According to a new study published in Nature Communications, prolonged ultraviolet (UV) radiation triggers inflammatory response in skin cells by degrading a protein named YTHDF2 that normally prevents cancer.
YTHDF2 is an essential protein that plays a role in immune regulation or RNA metabolism to protect cells.
Scientists discovered that excessive UV exposure significantly minimises the level of YTHDF2, intensifying inflammation, which leads to cancer.
Notably, every year, nearly 5.4 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer, with over 90% of cases associated with UV damage.
As mentioned earlier, UV rays harm DNA, causing oxidative stress and inflammation that leads to sunburn and cancer.
The team found that YTHDF2 binds to a non-coding RNA called U6, modified by m6A, inhibiting it from activating receptor 3 (TLR 3), a sensor that immediately triggers an inflammatory response after detecting inflammation in the body.
Under UV stress, U6 snRNA interacts with TLR3 in endosomes, unusually, triggering harmful inflammation in the absence of YTHDF2.
SDT2 protein assists transport U6 and YTHDF2 to endosomes, where YTHDF2 prevents excessive inflammatory signaling.
Lead researcher Dr. Yu-Ying He stated, “This surveillance system protects the body from harmful inflammation.”
The findings offer details into molecular mechanisms associating UV damage to skin cancer and suggest ways to prevent and treat by targeting RNA-protein interactions that control inflammation.
