Zinc and DNA fragmentation in keratinocyte apoptosis: its inhibitory effect in UVB irradiated cells

Zinc has been shown to have antioxidant properties and to exhibit inhibitory effects on apoptosis. In this work we investigated the effect of zinc on DNA integrity and on apoptosis of HaCaT keratinocytes. Cells were submitted to zinc deprivation by a diffusible zinc chelator, (N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine) (TPEN) or supplied with zinc chloride and submitted to UVB radiation