DOI: 10.1126/science.6281884. Spectral Character of Sunlight Modulates Photosynthesis of Previtamin D <sub>3</sub> and Its Photoisomers in Human Skin

Spectral Character of Sunlight Modulates Photosynthesis of Previtamin D 3 and Its Photoisomers in Human Skin

10.1126/science.6281884

Crossref journal-article

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Science (221)

Abstract

The photosynthesis of previtamin D 3 from 7-dehydrocholesterol in human skin was determined after exposure to narrow-band radiation or simulated solar radiation. The optimum wavelengths for the production of previtamin D 3 were determined to be between 295 and 300 nanometers. When human skin was exposed to 295-nanometer radiation, up to 65 percent of the original 7-dehydrocholesterol content was converted to previtamin D 3 . In comparison, when adjacent skin was exposed to simulated solar radiation, the maximum formation of previtamin D 3 was about 20 percent. Major differences in the formation of lumisterol 3 and tachysterol 3 from previtamin D 3 were also observed. It is concluded that the spectral character of natural sunlight has a profound effect on the photochemistry of 7-dehydrocholesterol in human skin.

Bibliography

MacLaughlin, J. A., Anderson, R. R., & Holick, M. F. (1982). Spectral Character of Sunlight Modulates Photosynthesis of Previtamin D 3 and Its Photoisomers in Human Skin. Science, 216(4549), 1001â1003.

Authors 3

J. A. MacLaughlin (first)
R. R. Anderson (additional)
M. F. Holick (additional)

References 11 Referenced 423

BUNKER, JWM, Precise evaluation of ultraviolet therapy in experimental rickets, NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 216: 165 (1937). (10.1056/NEJM193701282160405) / NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE (1937)
GREEN, AES, MIDDLE ULTRAVIOLET REACHING GROUND, PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY 19: 251 (1974). (10.1111/j.1751-1097.1974.tb06508.x) / PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY (1974)
HAVINGA, E, VITAMIN-D, EXAMPLE AND CHALLENGE, EXPERIENTIA 29: 1181 (1973). (10.1007/BF01935064) / EXPERIENTIA (1973)
HOLICK, M.F., ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF PRE-VITAMIN D3 FROM THE SKIN OF RATS EXPOSED TO ULTRAVIOLET-IRRADIATION, BIOCHEMISTRY 18: 1003 (1979). (10.1021/bi00573a011) / BIOCHEMISTRY (1979)
HOLICK, M.F., PHOTOSYNTHESIS OF PREVITAMIN-D3 IN HUMAN-SKIN AND THE PHYSIOLOGIC CONSEQUENCES, SCIENCE 210: 203 (1980). (10.1126/science.6251551) / SCIENCE (1980)
HOLICK, M.F., REGULATION OF CUTANEOUS PREVITAMIN-D3 PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN MAN - SKIN PIGMENT IS NOT AN ESSENTIAL REGULATOR, SCIENCE 211: 590 (1981). (10.1126/science.6256855) / SCIENCE (1981)
KNUDSON, A, Quantitative studies of the effectiveness of ultraviolet radiation of various wave-lengths in rickets, JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 124: 287 (1938). (10.1016/S0021-9258(18)74097-0) / JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY (1938)
KOBAYASHI, T, STUDIES ON ULTRAVIOLET-IRRADIATION OF PROVITAMIN-D AND ITS RELATED COMPOUNDS .3. EFFECT OF WAVELENGTH ON FORMATION OF POTENTIAL VITAMIN-D2 IN IRRADIATION OF ERGOSTEROL BY MONOCHROMATIC ULTRAVIOLET RAYS, JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY 19: 123 (1973). (10.3177/jnsv.19.123) / JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY (1973)
PARRISH, J.A., UVA BIOL EFFECTS ULT: 59 (1978). / UVA BIOL EFFECTS ULT (1978)
TAKADA, K, STUDIES ON THE BIOGENESIS OF VITAMIN-D .5. RAPID AND PRECISE METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF VITAMIN-D3 IN RAT SKIN BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY, JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY 25: 385 (1979). (10.3177/jnsv.25.385) / JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY (1979)
WURTMAN, R.J., SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN 233: 69 (1975). / SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN (1975)

Dates

Type	When
Created	18 years, 11 months ago (Oct. 5, 2006, 10:30 a.m.)
Deposited	1 year, 7 months ago (Jan. 14, 2024, 1:31 p.m.)
Indexed	1 day, 16 hours ago (Sept. 4, 2025, 9:33 a.m.)
Issued	43 years, 3 months ago (May 28, 1982)
Published	43 years, 3 months ago (May 28, 1982)
Published Print	43 years, 3 months ago (May 28, 1982)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{MacLaughlin_1982, title={Spectral Character of Sunlight Modulates Photosynthesis of Previtamin D 3 and Its Photoisomers in Human Skin}, volume={216}, ISSN={1095-9203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.6281884}, DOI={10.1126/science.6281884}, number={4549}, journal={Science}, publisher={American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}, author={MacLaughlin, J. A. and Anderson, R. R. and Holick, M. F.}, year={1982}, month=may, pages={1001–1003} }

JSON

{
  "indexed": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2025,
        9,
        4
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2025-09-04T13:33:08Z",
    "timestamp": 1756992788847
  },
  "reference-count": 11,
  "publisher": "American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)",
  "issue": "4549",
  "content-domain": {
    "domain": [],
    "crossmark-restriction": false
  },
  "published-print": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        1982,
        5,
        28
      ]
    ]
  },
  "abstract": "<jats:p>\n            The photosynthesis of previtamin D\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            from 7-dehydrocholesterol in human skin was determined after exposure to narrow-band radiation or simulated solar radiation. The optimum wavelengths for the production of previtamin D\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            were determined to be between 295 and 300 nanometers. When human skin was exposed to 295-nanometer radiation, up to 65 percent of the original 7-dehydrocholesterol content was converted to previtamin D\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            . In comparison, when adjacent skin was exposed to simulated solar radiation, the maximum formation of previtamin D\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            was about 20 percent. Major differences in the formation of lumisterol\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            and tachysterol\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            from previtamin D\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            were also observed. It is concluded that the spectral character of natural sunlight has a profound effect on the photochemistry of 7-dehydrocholesterol in human skin.\n          </jats:p>",
  "DOI": "10.1126/science.6281884",
  "type": "journal-article",
  "created": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2006,
        10,
        5
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2006-10-05T14:30:32Z",
    "timestamp": 1160058632000
  },
  "page": "1001-1003",
  "source": "Crossref",
  "is-referenced-by-count": 423,
  "title": "Spectral Character of Sunlight Modulates Photosynthesis of Previtamin D\n            <sub>3</sub>\n            and Its Photoisomers in Human Skin",
  "prefix": "10.1126",
  "volume": "216",
  "author": [
    {
      "given": "J. A.",
      "family": "MacLaughlin",
      "sequence": "first",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Vitamin D Laboratories, Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, and Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "R. R.",
      "family": "Anderson",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Vitamin D Laboratories, Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, and Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "M. F.",
      "family": "Holick",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Vitamin D Laboratories, Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, and Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "member": "221",
  "reference": [
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_1_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "165",
      "DOI": "10.1056/NEJM193701282160405",
      "volume": "216",
      "year": "1937",
      "unstructured": "BUNKER, JWM, Precise evaluation of ultraviolet therapy in experimental rickets, NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 216: 165 (1937).",
      "journal-title": "NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_2_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "251",
      "DOI": "10.1111/j.1751-1097.1974.tb06508.x",
      "volume": "19",
      "year": "1974",
      "unstructured": "GREEN, AES, MIDDLE ULTRAVIOLET REACHING GROUND, PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY 19: 251 (1974).",
      "journal-title": "PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_3_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "1181",
      "DOI": "10.1007/BF01935064",
      "volume": "29",
      "year": "1973",
      "unstructured": "HAVINGA, E, VITAMIN-D, EXAMPLE AND CHALLENGE, EXPERIENTIA 29: 1181 (1973).",
      "journal-title": "EXPERIENTIA"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_4_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "1003",
      "DOI": "10.1021/bi00573a011",
      "volume": "18",
      "year": "1979",
      "unstructured": "HOLICK, M.F., ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF PRE-VITAMIN D3 FROM THE SKIN OF RATS EXPOSED TO ULTRAVIOLET-IRRADIATION, BIOCHEMISTRY 18: 1003 (1979).",
      "journal-title": "BIOCHEMISTRY"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_5_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "203",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.6251551",
      "volume": "210",
      "year": "1980",
      "unstructured": "HOLICK, M.F., PHOTOSYNTHESIS OF PREVITAMIN-D3 IN HUMAN-SKIN AND THE PHYSIOLOGIC CONSEQUENCES, SCIENCE 210: 203 (1980).",
      "journal-title": "SCIENCE"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_6_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "590",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.6256855",
      "volume": "211",
      "year": "1981",
      "unstructured": "HOLICK, M.F., REGULATION OF CUTANEOUS PREVITAMIN-D3 PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN MAN - SKIN PIGMENT IS NOT AN ESSENTIAL REGULATOR, SCIENCE 211: 590 (1981).",
      "journal-title": "SCIENCE"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_7_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "287",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0021-9258(18)74097-0",
      "volume": "124",
      "year": "1938",
      "unstructured": "KNUDSON, A, Quantitative studies of the effectiveness of ultraviolet radiation of various wave-lengths in rickets, JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 124: 287 (1938).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_8_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "123",
      "DOI": "10.3177/jnsv.19.123",
      "volume": "19",
      "year": "1973",
      "unstructured": "KOBAYASHI, T, STUDIES ON ULTRAVIOLET-IRRADIATION OF PROVITAMIN-D AND ITS RELATED COMPOUNDS .3. EFFECT OF WAVELENGTH ON FORMATION OF POTENTIAL VITAMIN-D2 IN IRRADIATION OF ERGOSTEROL BY MONOCHROMATIC ULTRAVIOLET RAYS, JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY 19: 123 (1973).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_9_1",
      "first-page": "59",
      "year": "1978",
      "unstructured": "PARRISH, J.A., UVA BIOL EFFECTS ULT: 59 (1978).",
      "journal-title": "UVA BIOL EFFECTS ULT"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_10_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "385",
      "DOI": "10.3177/jnsv.25.385",
      "volume": "25",
      "year": "1979",
      "unstructured": "TAKADA, K, STUDIES ON THE BIOGENESIS OF VITAMIN-D .5. RAPID AND PRECISE METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF VITAMIN-D3 IN RAT SKIN BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY, JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY 25: 385 (1979).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_11_1",
      "first-page": "69",
      "volume": "233",
      "year": "1975",
      "unstructured": "WURTMAN, R.J., SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN 233: 69 (1975).",
      "journal-title": "SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN"
    }
  ],
  "container-title": "Science",
  "original-title": [],
  "language": "en",
  "link": [
    {
      "URL": "https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.6281884",
      "content-type": "unspecified",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "similarity-checking"
    }
  ],
  "deposited": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2024,
        1,
        14
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2024-01-14T18:31:20Z",
    "timestamp": 1705257080000
  },
  "score": 1,
  "resource": {
    "primary": {
      "URL": "https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.6281884"
    }
  },
  "subtitle": [],
  "short-title": [],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        1982,
        5,
        28
      ]
    ]
  },
  "references-count": 11,
  "journal-issue": {
    "issue": "4549",
    "published-print": {
      "date-parts": [
        [
          1982,
          5,
          28
        ]
      ]
    }
  },
  "alternative-id": [
    "10.1126/science.6281884"
  ],
  "URL": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.6281884",
  "relation": {},
  "ISSN": [
    "0036-8075",
    "1095-9203"
  ],
  "subject": [],
  "container-title-short": "Science",
  "published": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        1982,
        5,
        28
      ]
    ]
  }
}