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Photobiomodulation therapy may improve future burn treatments

Posted: 10 August 2021 | | 3 comments

Photobiomodulation therapy was shown to heal burn injuries faster by triggering the growth protein TGF-beta 1 in mice, potentially improving treatments.

Infared light therapy

A research team at the University of Buffalo, US, have demonstrated that photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, a form of low-dose light capable of relieving pain and promoting healing and tissue regeneration, can speed up recovery from burns and reduce inflammation in mice by activating the endogenous TGF-beta 1 protein that is capable of promoting tissue healing and regeneration. According to lead investigator Praveen Arany, the findings may impact therapeutic treatments for burn injuries in the future.

This work provides evidence for the ability of PBM-activated TGF-beta 1 in mitigating the inflammation, while promoting tissue regeneration utilising an elegant, transgenic burn wound model” 

“PBM therapy has been effectively used in supportive cancer care, age-related macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease,” Arany explained.  “A common feature among these ailments is the central role of inflammation. This work provides evidence for the ability of PBM-activated TGF-beta 1 in mitigating the inflammation, while promoting tissue regeneration utilising an elegant, transgenic burn wound model.” 

The study investigated the efficacy of PBM treatments by measuring the effect of PBM on the closure of third-degree burns in mice over a period of nine days. The treatment triggered TGF‐beta 1 which stimulated various cell types involved in healing, including fibroblasts and macrophages. The researchers also developed a precise burn healing protocol for PBM treatments to ensure additional thermal injuries are not inadvertently generated by laser use. 

The effectiveness of PBM in treating pain and stimulating healing has been documented in hundreds of clinical trials and thousands of academic papers. Furthermore, the therapy was recently recommended as a standard treatment for pain relief from cancer-associated oral mucositis by the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer. The team are thus optimistic that the therapy can be used for burn injuries in the future.

The findings of the study were published in Scientific Reports.