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We describe an in vitro approach to assessing the potential genotoxicity of illuminated sunscreens. The photomutagenic sunscreen Padimate-O attacks DNA on illumination with simulated sunlight, producing strand breaks and lesions that are labile to N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine but few, if any, cyclobutane dimers or other direct photoproducts. The damage can be completely suppressed by the free radical quenchers Tris, ethanol, mannitol and dimethylsulfoxide, which is commonly used as a solvent in conventional photomutagenicity assays. Using a genetic reversion assay that depends on regenerating beta-galactosidase activity in photodamaged plasmids we find that GC base pairs are particularly susceptible to attack by Padimate-O.

Type

Journal article

Journal

Photochem Photobiol

Publication Date

08/1997

Volume

66

Pages

276 - 281

Keywords

4-Aminobenzoic Acid, Base Sequence, DNA Damage, Free Radical Scavengers, Free Radicals, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutagenesis, Photochemistry, Plasmids, Sunscreening Agents, para-Aminobenzoates