Acute ultraviolet B irradiation increases cholesterol and decreases Cyp7a1 expression in the liver of female mice

Recent studies have demonstrated that ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation impacts both skin and hepatic functions. In this study, we investigated the effects of UVB irradiation on cholesterol metabolism in the liver. Hairless mice were exposed to UVB (1.6 J/cm²) irradiation. Dorsal skin and liver samples were collected 24 h after exposure. Total RNA was extracted from the skin and liver tissues, and used for DNA microarray analysis and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Hepatic mRNA expression of Cyp7a1 revealed a 4.4-fold decrease in the UVB (+) group compared to that in the UVB (−) group. No differences were observed in the expression of the other genes related to cholesterol metabolism. Additionally, the level of hepatic total cholesterol in the UVB (+) group was significantly higher than in the UVB (−) group. These findings suggest that acute UVB irradiation increases total cholesterol levels and decreases Cyp7a1 expression in the liver.