An interventional study of Solar Simulated Light in Other Skin Changes Due to Chronic Exposure to Nonionizing Radiation, sponsored by University of Arizona. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 40 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-16.
Sponsored by University of Arizona · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
The purpose of this research study is to look at how the proteins and genes in people's skin change when they're exposed to simulated sunlight. The researchers want to see if there are differences between people who've had skin cancer and those who haven't despite having a similar type of skin and history of sun exposure. Since this study is designed to simulate sun exposure to small areas of skin, mild to moderate sunburn and tanned spots at the site of the simulated sunlight exposure is a risk. In addition to simulated sun exposure, patients will also have four 6 mm punch skin biopsies performed. Brief discomfort may be felt when the local painkiller (lidocaine) is injected prior to skin biopsies; however, it is usually minimal. Participation in the study involves 4 visits to the clinic over the course of 4 weeks. Each visit will take no longer than 90 minutes.
University of Arizona is the lead sponsor of 466 studies on the registry; 87 are open to participants now.
Of its 47 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 29 (62%) have results posted.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Participants who have a history of squamous cell skin cancer (n=23) will be exposed to acute solar simulated light (SSL). Participants must have sun damage on the forearm, based on a standardized clinical photodamage scale (Hu C, Curiel-Lewandrowski C. Archives of Dermatology, 2011; 147(1):31-36). Each subject will act as his/her own control to minimize inter-subject variability. Subjects from each cohort will be matched based on age and gender.
Other: Solar Simulated Light
Participants without a history of squamous cell skin cancer (n=23) will be exposed to acute solar simulated light (SSL). Participants must have sun damage on the forearm, based on a standardized clinical photodamage scale (Hu C, Curiel-Lewandrowski C. Archives of Dermatology, 2011; 147(1):31-36). Each subject will act as his/her own control to minimize inter-subject variability.
Other: Solar Simulated Light
Acute SSL will be delivered to sun damaged skin at a rate of two-times the minimal erythema dose of each individual subject. Minimal erythema dose is defined as the smallest dose of energy necessary to produce confluent erythema with four distinct borders at 22-26 hours post-exposure.
To assess PD-L1 protein expression levels in the epidermal keratinocytes of subjects with and without a history of cutaneous squamous cell skin cancer.
The primary objective will be the relative increase in PD-L1 protein expression levels in the epidermal keratinocytes of subjects in two risk cohorts (Cohort A (history of \> 2 cSCC) and Cohort B (no history of cSCC)) after acute solar simulated light treatment compared to unexposed skin within the same subject. Proteomic evaluation will be performed by reverse phase protein microarray and confirmatory IHC (immunohistochemistry) stain.
Time frame: Changes from baseline (pre-SSL exposure) to post-SSL exposure (at 24 hour post-exposure).
Evaluation of CD70/CD27 protein expression analysis
Reverse phase protein microarray will be implemented to evaluate changes in CD70/CD27 protein expression and immunohistochemistry assays will analyze changes in these signaling pathways over time.
Time frame: Changes from baseline (pre-SSL exposure) to post-SSL exposure (at 24 hour post-exposure).
Spatial genomic assessment through whole transcriptomic analysis
Nanostring DSP (Digital Spatial Profiling). Whole transcriptomic analysis will assess these markers as well as query signaling pathways which may be differentially affected by UV in each group. The research team will perform NanoString spatial whole transcriptomic analysis on SD (sun damaged) skin samples in the 20 participants from each cohort by evaluating both pre- and post- SSL exposure, resulting in 2 matched pairs per study subject. The research team will also use DermTech RNA-seq for skin sampling and gene expression analysis on a subset of sun damaged skin samples.
Time frame: Changes from baseline (pre-SSL exposure) to post-SSL exposure (at 24 hour post-exposure).
High dimensional data analysis
The objective is to integrate the proteomic and genomic data to evaluate possible synergistic relationship between them in describing the risk of cSCC based on PD-L1/PD1 and other co-expressed genes/protein expression.
Time frame: Changes from baseline (pre-SSL exposure) to post-SSL exposure (at 24 hour post-exposure).
Plan to share: Undecided
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