The effects of polarized photobiomodulation on cellular viability, proliferation, mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis in human fibroblasts: Potential applications to wound healing

Nicholas Tripodi; Fotios Sidiroglou; Sarah Fraser; Maja Husaric; Dimitrios Kiatos; Vasso Apostolopoulos; Jack Feehan

doi:10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2022.112574

The effects of polarized photobiomodulation on cellular viability, proliferation, mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis in human fibroblasts: Potential applications to wound healing

J Photochem Photobiol B. 2022 Nov:236:112574. doi: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2022.112574. Epub 2022 Sep 23.

Authors

Nicholas Tripodi¹, Fotios Sidiroglou², Sarah Fraser³, Maja Husaric⁴, Dimitrios Kiatos⁵, Vasso Apostolopoulos⁶, Jack Feehan⁷

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia; First Year College, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia; Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), The University of Melbourne and Western Health, St. Albans, Australia.
² First Year College, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia; Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
³ Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
⁴ Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia; First Year College, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
⁵ College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
⁶ Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia; Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), The University of Melbourne and Western Health, St. Albans, Australia.
⁷ Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia; Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), The University of Melbourne and Western Health, St. Albans, Australia; Department of Medicine-Western Health, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, St. Albans, Australia. Electronic address: jack.feehan@vu.edu.au.

PMID: 36179581
DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2022.112574

Abstract

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a widely used therapeutic intervention used to treat several chronic conditions. Despite this, fundamental research underpinning its effectiveness is lacking, highlighted by the lack of a definitive mechanism of action. Additionally, there are many treatment variables which remain underexplored, one of those being the effect of polarization the property of light that specifies the direction of the oscillating electric field. When applied to PBM, using linearly polarized light, when compared to otherwise identical non-polarized light, may enhance its biological efficacy. As such, we investigated the potential biological effects of polarized PBM when compared to non-polarized and non-irradiated controls in the domains of cellular viability, proliferation, apoptosis and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ) within cells exposed to oxidative stress. It was noted that polarized PBM, when compared to non-polarized PBM and non-irradiated controls, demonstrated mostly increased levels of cellular proliferation and ΔΨ, whilst decreasing the amount of cellular apoptosis. These results indicate that polarization may have utility in the clinical application of PBM. Future research is needed to further elucidate the underpinning mechanisms of PBM and polarization.

Keywords: Cellular apoptosis; Cellular proliferation; Cellular viability; Low level light therapy; Mitochondrial membrane potential; Oxidative stress; Photobiomodulation; Polarization; Polarized light; Wound healing.

MeSH terms

Apoptosis
Cell Proliferation
Fibroblasts
Humans
Low-Level Light Therapy*
Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial
Wound Healing*