Objectives: The effect of photobiomodulation (PBM) treatment on wound healing and macrophage polarization was investigated in vivo. Animal models of oral ulcers were simulated through chemically induced oral ulcers in rats. Materials and Methods: PBM treatment using an infrared pulsed laser was used to treat oral ulcers in the animal models. Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups depending on set absorbed energy: Group 1 (control), Group 2 (30 J), Group 3 (60 J), and Group 4 (100 J). Laser treatment was performed every other day for 8 days after ulcer confirmation. Parameters used were as follows: wavelength 808 nm, power output 50 mW, spot size 10 mm, frequency 10 Hz, and pulse duration 1 millisecond. Ulcers were measured to determine the effect of the treatments over time. Histology, immunostaining, and real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of PBM treatment on macrophage-related (IL-6/IL-10) and wound-healingrelated (TNF-α/TGF-β/MMP-2) cytokine expression. Results: Histological examinations indicate that the PBM treatment stimulated a higher level of wound recovery after 8 days of treatment at 60 J absorbed energy compared to other treatment groups. Analyses of relative gene expression of proinflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and tissue remodeling cytokines indicate that the macrophages in the tissue samples were predominantly characterized as M2 subtypes (alternatively activated), which possibly accounts for the accelerated tissue repair in the animal model of oral ulcer. Conclusion: This preliminary study stands as a proof of concept regarding the potential use of infrared laser PBM treatment for oral ulcers which have not been previously investigated upon. PBM treatment affects macrophage polarization and enhances wound healing. Further experimentation will be conducted to expand the understanding of how PBM treatment affects the healing mechanism of ulcers.
Hydrogels have been developed and used in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to deliver therapeutics to injured or diseased tissue because of their versatility and properties that can be tailored to match the natural extracellular matrix. Hydrogels can be made with a variety of physical and chemical properties combined with light responsiveness ideal for applications in different fields of medicine that require the spatiotemporal control of therapeutics. Light, as a stimulus, is relatively inexpensive, contact-free, noninvasive with high spatial resolution and temporal control, convenient and easy to use, and allows deep tissue penetration that is relatively harmless. Photoresponsive hydrogels are ideal candidates for on-demand drug delivery systems that are capable of sustained and controlled drug release, minimizing the side effects, and ensuring the activity and efficient delivery of drugs to the target tissue.
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