UVA-induced apoptosis

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is a form of pher-esis therapy that has proven effective in the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. After oral administration of methoxsalen, leukocytes are separated from whole blood using an ECP device and then exposed to UVA radiation. The irradiated cells then are returned to the patient. Multiple mechanisms probably contribute to the effectiveness of this procedure. ECP simultaneously and efficiently induces apoptosis of disease-causing T-cells and conversion of monocytes to functional dendritic cells by processing and presenting the unique antigenic determinants of pathogenic T-cell clones, the dendritic cells either initiate a clinically relevant anticutaneous T-cell lymphoma cytotoxic response or suppress the activity of autoreactive T-cell clones. 

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