Photobiomodulation of Human Fibroblasts and Keratinocytes with Blue Light: Implications in Wound Healing
Francesca Rossi,
Giada Magni,
Francesca Tatini,
Martina Banchelli,
Federica Cherchi,
Michele Rossi,
Elisabetta Coppi,
Anna Maria Pugliese,
Duccio Rossi degl’Innocenti,
Domenico Alfieri,
Francesco S. Pavone,
Roberto Pini,
Paolo Matteini
Affiliations
Francesca Rossi
Istituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IFAC), 50019 Florence, Italy
Giada Magni
Istituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IFAC), 50019 Florence, Italy
Francesca Tatini
Istituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IFAC), 50019 Florence, Italy
Martina Banchelli
Istituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IFAC), 50019 Florence, Italy
Federica Cherchi
Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
Michele Rossi
Istituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IFAC), 50019 Florence, Italy
Elisabetta Coppi
Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
Anna Maria Pugliese
Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
In recent years, photobiomodulation (PBM) has been recognized as a physical therapy in wound management. Despite several published research papers, the mechanism underlying photobiomodulation is still not completely understood. The investigation about application of blue light to improve wound healing is a relatively new research area. Tests in selected patients evidenced a stimulation of the healing process in superficial and chronic wounds treated with a blue LED light emitting at 420 nm; a study in animal model pointed out a faster healing process in superficial wound, with an important role of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Here, we present a study aiming at evidencing the effects of blue light on the proliferation and metabolism in fibroblasts from healthy skin and keratinocytes. Different light doses (3.43, 6.87, 13.7, 20.6, 30.9 and 41.2 J/cm2) were used to treat the cells, evidencing inhibitory and stimulatory effects following a biphasic dose behavior. Electrophysiology was used to investigate the effects on membrane currents: healthy fibroblasts and keratinocytes showed no significant differences between treated and not treated cells. Raman spectroscopy revealed the mitochondrial Cytochrome C (Cyt C) oxidase dependence on blue light irradiation: a significant decrease in peak intensity of healthy fibroblast was evidenced, while it is less pronounced in keratinocytes. In conclusion, we observed that the blue LED light can be used to modulate metabolism and proliferation of human fibroblasts, and the effects in wound healing are particularly evident when studying the fibroblasts and keratinocytes co-cultures.
