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Histological and gene expression analysis of the effects of pulsed low-level laser therapy on wound healing of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Lasers in Medical Science volume 29, pages 1227–1235 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with poor wound healing. Studies have shown accelerated wound healing following pulsed low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in non-diabetic animals. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of pulsed LLLT on wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic (STZ-D) rats. We divided 48 rats into two groups of non-diabetic and diabetic. Type 1 DM was induced in the diabetic rat group by injections of STZ. Two, full-thickness skin incisions were made on the dorsal region of each rat. One month after the STZ injection, wounds of the non-diabetic and diabetic rats were submitted to a pulsed, infrared 890-nm laser with an 80-Hz frequency and 0.2 J/cm2 for each wound point. Control wounds did not receive LLLT. Animals were sacrificed on days 4, 7, and 15 post-injury for histomorphometry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) gene expression. Pulsed LLLT significantly increased the numbers of macrophages, fibroblasts, and blood vessel sections compared to the corresponding control groups. Semi-quantitative analysis of bFGF gene expression at 48 h post-injury revealed a significant increase in gene expression in both non-diabetic and diabetic rats following LLLT (the ANOVA test). Pulsed LLLT at 0.2 J/cm2 accelerated the wound healing process in both non-diabetic and diabetic rats as measured by histological characteristics and semi-quantitative bFGF gene expression.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to extend our sincere thanks to the late Mrs. Jamileh Rezaei and the Vice Chancellor of Research at the Medical Faculty of Shahid Behesti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran for financial support (Grant 13/15181).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Medical Faculty, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Zanelabedien Sharifian

  2. Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 19395/4719, Tehran, 1985717443, Iran

    Mohammad Bayat & Fatemealsadat Rezaie

  3. Department of Anatomy and Biology, Medical Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Morteza Alidoust & Reza Masteri Farahani

  4. Medical Faculty, Free Islamic University, Tehran, Iran

    Maryam Bayat

  5. Physics Department, Arak University, Arak, Iran

    Homa Bayat

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  1. Zanelabedien Sharifian
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Correspondence to Mohammad Bayat.

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Sharifian, Z., Bayat, M., Alidoust, M. et al. Histological and gene expression analysis of the effects of pulsed low-level laser therapy on wound healing of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Lasers Med Sci 29, 1227–1235 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-013-1500-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-013-1500-5

Keywords

  • Type 1 diabetes mellitus
  • Low-level laser therapy
  • Wound healing
  • Rat
  • Histology
  • Reverse transcription
  • polymerase chain reaction