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Photobiomodulation-blue and red LED: protection or cellular toxicity? In vitro study with human fibroblasts

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Abstract

Photobiomodulation is widely used in clinical practice, and there is increasing interest in using this tool to treat numerous dysfunctions in living organisms. Therefore, this study aimed to verify the action of blue and red light-emitting diode light in cells. Human fibroblast cell line (HFF-1) were irradiated by blue (470 nm) or red (658 nm) light at doses of 4 and 18 J/cm2, respectively. Laboratory analyses were carried out to check for viability, proliferation, cell death, and the formation of reactive oxygen and nitric oxide species. The blue light demonstrated cell protection potential by reducing free radical formation and protecting the cell membrane by decreasing double-stranded DNA strands. On the other hand, the red light showed less potential for cell protection due to the risk of associating more significant nitric oxide formation with increased reactive oxygen species formation, in addition to having a greater amount of extracellular DNA. Cell damage prevention is a potential beneficial effect of blue light at 18 J/cm2. Despite the consolidated effects of red light in treating wounds, there was a potential toxic effect of this wavelength in the doses studied. Given the above, new studies relating these parameters with pathological cells or aggressors that simulate damage may offer results that can better support clinical practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Post-graduate Program in Functional Rehabilitation, Federal University of Santa Maria, 408 Adriano Chaves Street, 408 apartament, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-010, Brazil

    Fabiana dos Santos Ferreira, Thaís Nogueira de Oliveira Martins & Hedioneia Maria Foletto Pivetta

  2. Post-graduate Program in Health and Life Sciences, Franciscan University, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

    Francine Carla Cadoná

  3. Graduate Physiotherapy, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

    Alessandra Rafaeli Aurélio

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  1. Fabiana dos Santos Ferreira
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  2. Francine Carla Cadoná
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  3. Alessandra Rafaeli Aurélio
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  4. Thaís Nogueira de Oliveira Martins
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  5. Hedioneia Maria Foletto Pivetta
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Correspondence to Fabiana dos Santos Ferreira.

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dos Santos Ferreira, F., Cadoná, F.C., Aurélio, A.R. et al. Photobiomodulation-blue and red LED: protection or cellular toxicity? In vitro study with human fibroblasts. Lasers Med Sci 37, 523–530 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-021-03290-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-021-03290-5

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