Zusammenfassung
Sichtbares Licht von ausreichender Intensität hemmt die
Biosynthese von Melatonin und es gibt zahlreiche experimentelle Hinweise, dass
Melatonin vor Krebs schützen kann. Die Verifizierung oder Falsifizierung
der Hypothese, dass Kunstlicht - oder sogar das Sonnenlicht selbst
- die Melatoninproduktion so unterdrückt, dass es zu mehr oder
früheren Krebserkrankungen innerer Organe kommt, ist von Bedeutung
für die öffentliche Gesundheit, da aufgrund der Zahl von
ubiquitär exponierten Menschen selbst kleine Risikoerhöhungen zu
vielen Erkrankungsfällen führen könnten. Aktuelle
epidemiologische Studien von Personen, die im Rahmen von Schichtarbeit
gegenüber anthropogenem Licht-bei-Nacht exponiert sind, und erste
Auswertungen von natürlichen Lichtexperimenten bei blinden Personen und
bei Bewohnern der Arktis sind mit der Möglichkeit vereinbar, dass Licht
über Melatonin - zumindest hormonabhängige -
Krebsentwicklungen beeinflussen kann. Zur systematischen Untersuchung der
Wirkung geografisch unterschiedlicher Lichtintensitäten auf die
Melatoninproduktion beim Menschen wird eine pan-europäische Studie
vorgeschlagen. Weitere epidemiologische Untersuchungen können zum
Verständnis der pathophysiologischen Zusammenhänge zwischen Licht,
Melatonin und der Biologie des Menschen beitragen.
Abstract
Visible light of sufficient intensity inhibits melatonin
biosynthesis and numerous experimental studies suggest that melatonin may
protect against cancer. From a public health point of view it is important to
verify or falsify the hypothesis that artificial light - or even sunlight
itself - suppresses melatonin production sufficiently to increase the
risk of developing cancers of internal organs. Since humans are exposed
universally, even small risk elevations could lead to numerous cases. Recent
epidemiological studies of people exposed to anthropogenic light-at-night in
the course of shift work and first evaluations of natural light experiments in
blind people and in residents of the Arctic are compatible with the possibility
that light can influence - at least hormone- dependent - cancer
developments via melatonin. To systematically investigate the effect of
geographically different light intensities on melatonin production in man, a
pan-European study is suggested. Further epidemiological investigations can
contribute to the understanding of the patho-physiological relationships
between light, melatonin and human biology.
Schlüsselwörter
Licht - Melatonin - Krebs - Ubiquitäre
Exposition - Dosimetrie
Key
words
Light - Melatonin - Cancer - Ubiquitous
Exposure - Dosimetry
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Dr. Thomas Erren
Institut und Poliklinik für Arbeitsmedizin, Sozialmedizin und
Sozialhygiene, Klinikum der Universität zu Köln
Joseph-Stelzmann-Straße 9
50924 Köln (Lindenthal)
Email: tim.erren@uni-koeln.de
