Biophoton Detection and Low-Intensity Light Therapy: A Potential Clinical Partnership

Abstract

Low-intensity light therapy (LILT) is showing promise in the treatment of a wide variety of medical conditions. Concurrently, our knowledge of LILT mechanisms continues to expand. We are now aware of LILT's potential to induce cellular effects through, for example, accelerated ATP production and the mitigation of oxidative stress. In clinical use, however, it is often difficult to predict patient response to LILT. It appears that cellular reduction= oxidation (redox) state may play a central role in determining sensitivity to LILT and may help explain variability in patient responsiveness. In LILT, conditions associated with elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, e.g. diabetic hyperglycemia, demonstrate increased sensitivity to LILT. Consequently, assessment of tissue redox conditions in vivo may prove helpful in identifying responsive tissues. A noninvasive redox measure may be useful in advancing investigation in LILT and may one day be helpful in better identifying responsive patients. The detection of biophotons, the production of which is associated with cellular redox state and the generation of ROS, represents just such an opportunity. In this review, we will present the case for pursuing further investigation into the potential clinical partnership between biophoton detection and LILT.

Biological Water Dynamics and Entropy: A Biophysical Origin of Cancer and Other Diseases

“…In 2010, Tafur et al proposed that the detection of biophotons, the production of which is associated with cellular redox state and the generation of ROS, represents a noninvasive redox measure which may be useful in advancing low intensity light therapy [162]. In 2011, Czerlinski described long-lived nanodomains of water that form coherent cooperative aggregates controlled by the geomagnetic field.…”

Low-Level Laser Light Therapy Improves Cognitive Deficits and Inhibits Microglial Activation after Controlled Cortical Impact in Mice

“…Absorption of photons by cytochrome c releases bound nitric oxide, increases cytochrome c oxidase activity, and improves efficiency of electron transport; the resulting change in cellular redox state leads to increased ATP production and reduced reactive oxygen species (Karu et al, 2005;Tafur et al, 2010). LLLT may also induce redox-sensitive transcription factors such as nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-jB), that promote gene transcription leading to reduced cell death and enhanced neurological function (Lubart et al, 2005;Schreck et al, 1992;Tafur and Mills, 2008).…”

Regulation of miRNA Expression by Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) and Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)

“…To date, several mechanisms of biological action have been proposed, although none have been clearly established. These include augmentation of cellular ATP levels [18–20], manipulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity [21–25], suppression of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha [19,26–28], IL-1beta [28–30], IL-6 [28,31–34] and IL-8 [28,31,32,35], upregulation of growth factors, such as PDGF, IGF-1, NGF and FGF-2 [30,36–38], alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential [39–42], due to chromophores found in the mitochondrial respiratory chain [43–45], stimulation of protein kinase C (PKC) activation [46], manipulation of NF-kappaB activation [47], induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) [48,49], modification of extracellular matrix components [50], inhibition of apoptosis [39], stimulation of mast cell degranulation [51] and upregulation of heat shock proteins [52]. We have also proposed that LLLT influences cell differentiation following laser stimulation [53–55].…”