Sun-sensitizing effects of PKCepsilon shine on multiple mouse strains.

Like many skin phenotypes, susceptibility to carcinogenesis is profoundly influenced by genetic background. Sand et al. (this issue) explored the sensitizing effects of epidermal protein kinase C epsilon (PKCepsilon)expression in the hairless SKH-1 mouse strain commonly used in UV carcinogenesis studies. They reported that PKCepsilon overexpression profoundly sensitized these mice to UV skin carcinogenesis and activated oncogenic pathways similar to those reported in FVB/N mice.