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Carcinogenesis Advance Access originally published online on November 20, 2008
Carcinogenesis 2009 30(1):101-105; doi:10.1093/carcin/bgn248
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Oral nicotinamide protects against ultraviolet radiation-induced immunosuppression in humans

Eleni Yiasemides, Geetha Sivapirabu, Gary M. Halliday, Joohong Park and Diona L. Damian*

Dermatology, Sydney Cancer Centre, Bosch Institute, University of Sydney at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales 2050, Australia

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Department of Dermatology, Gloucester House Level 3, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown New South Wales 2050, Australia. Tel: +61 2 9515 8295; Fax: +61 2 9565 1048; Email: diona.damian{at}email.cs.nsw.gov.au

Cutaneous immunity, which is a key defence against the development of skin cancers, is suppressed by even small doses of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Preventing this UV-induced immunosuppression may therefore reduce the incidence of skin cancer. Nicotinamide (vitamin B3) has immune-protective and cancer-preventive effects against UV radiation in mice, and we have shown previously that topical nicotinamide is immune protective in humans. Using the Mantoux model of skin immunity in healthy volunteers, we compared oral nicotinamide to placebo (both administered for 1 week) in a randomized, double-blinded, crossover design against the effects of solar-simulated ultraviolet (ssUV) radiation on delayed-type hypersensitivity to tuberculin purified protein derivative. Discrete areas of the back were irradiated with low doses of ssUV daily for three consecutive days. Immunosuppression, calculated as the difference in Mantoux-induced erythema of irradiated sites compared with unirradiated control sites, was determined in volunteers taking oral nicotinamide and placebo. Significant immunosuppression occurred in an UV dose-dependent manner in the presence of placebo. Oral nicotinamide, at doses of either 1500 or 500 mg daily, was well tolerated and significantly reduced UV immunosuppression with no immune effects in unirradiated skin. Oral nicotinamide is safe and inexpensive and looks promising as a chemopreventive supplement for reducing the immunosuppressive effects of sunlight.

Abbreviations: DTH, delayed-type hypersensitivity; EI, erythema index; MED, minimal erythema dose; NAD, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; NADP, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate; PARP, poly-adenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase; PPD, purified protein derivative; ssUV, solar-simulated ultraviolet; UV, ultraviolet

Received August 25, 2008; revised October 7, 2008; accepted October 27, 2008.


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