Induction of erythroid differentiation and increased globin mRNA production with furocoumarins and their photoproducts

► Furocoumarins photoinduce erythroid differentiation in K562 cells with UVA. ► Furocoumarins photoinduce high increase in α-, ζ-, ε-, and γ-globin mRNA sequences. ► Furocoumarin erythrodifferentiation is connected with DNA photodamage. ► 5,5′-Dimethylpsoralen photoproducts present differentiating properties.