Vol 2, No 2 (2014)
Original article
Published online: 2014-09-11

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Effect of low level laser irradiation on VEGF gene expression in cultured endothelial cells

Krzysztof Góralczyk, Justyna Szymańska, Katarzyna Linkowska, Barbara Ruszkowska-Ciastek, Łukasz Gryko, Andrzej Zając, Tomasz Grzybowski, Danuta Rość
Folia Medica Copernicana 2014;2(2):61-65.

Abstract

Background. Endothelial cells play a crucial role in the angiogenesis which is initiated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Low level laser therapy (LLLT) stimulates repair processes which are based on the formation of new blood vessels.

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of LLLT on VEGF gene expression in endothelial cells cultured in vitro.

Material and methods. Freshly isolated endothelial cells from the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) line were used in the study. The cells were irradiated with a semiconductor laser emitting visiblelaser radiation at the wave length of 630 nm and the power of 30 mW, and radiation at the wavelength of 808 nm and the power of 60 mW in the infrared range. The study was performed with cell cultures subjected to four different procedures: I — control cells (not subjected to irradiation); II — cells subjected to an energy dose of 2 J/cm2; III — cells subjected to an energy dose of 4 J/cm2; and IV — cells subjected to an energy dose of 8 J/cm2. The cells were cultured for six days, and exposed to irradiation twice. The next step was to evaluate the VEGF gene expression by applying real-time PCR.

Results. By using low power laser irradiation, we obtained a statistically significant increase in VEGF gene expression, particularly at doses of 2 and 8 J/cm2 in the wave length range of 630 nm. The wave length of 808 nm had a similar effect on increases in gene expression. However, the differences were statistically non-significant when compared to the control cells.

Conclusions. This study has shown that low-power laser radiation in the visible light spectrum (630 nm) results in de novo formation of VEGF-A in the endothelial cells in culture.

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