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. 2022 Apr;37(3):1921-1929.
doi: 10.1007/s10103-021-03452-5. Epub 2021 Oct 25.

Influence of photobiomodulation therapy on the treatment of pulmonary inflammatory conditions and its impact on COVID-19

Daniela Bezerra Macedo  1 , Carla Roberta Tim  1 , Hueliton Wilian Kido  2   3 , Juliana Bezerra Macedo  1 , Cintia Cristina Santi Martignago  2 , Ana Claudia Muniz Renno  2 , Glauber Bezerra Macedo  3 , Lívia Assis  4
Affiliations

Influence of photobiomodulation therapy on the treatment of pulmonary inflammatory conditions and its impact on COVID-19

Daniela Bezerra Macedo et al. Lasers Med Sci. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

We are currently facing a pandemic that continuously causes high death rates and has negative economic and psychosocial impacts. Therefore, this period requires a quick search for viable procedures that can allow us to use safe and non-invasive clinical tools as prophylactic or even adjuvant methods in the treatment of COVID-19. Some evidence shows that photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) can attenuate the inflammatory response and reduce respiratory disorders similar to acute lung injury (ALI), complications associated with infections, such as the one caused by the new Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of PBMT (infrared low-level laser therapy) on the treatment of ALI, one of the main critical complications of COVID-19 infection, in an experimental model in rats. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly allocated to three experimental groups (n = 8): control group (CG), controlled ALI (ALI), and acute lung injury and PBM (ALIP). For treatment, a laser equipment was used (808 nm; 30 mw; 1.68 J) applied at three sites (anterior region of the trachea and in the ventral regions of the thorax, bilaterally) in the period of 1 and 24 h after induction of ALI. For treatment evaluation, descriptive histopathological analysis, lung injury score, analysis of the number of inflammatory cells, and expression of interleukin 1 β (IL-1β) were performed. In the results, it was possible to observe that the treatment with PBMT reduced inflammatory infiltrates, thickening of the alveolar septum, and lung injury score when compared to the ALI group. In addition, PBMT showed lower immunoexpression of IL-1β. Therefore, based on the results observed in the present study, it can be concluded that treatment with PBMT (infrared low-level laser therapy) was able to induce an adequate tissue response capable of modulating the signs of inflammatory process in ALI, one of the main complications of COVID-19.

Keywords: Acute lung injury; COVID-19; Low-level laser; Photobiomodulation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Representative photomicrographs of morphological analysis of acute lung injury cross sections. Alveolar septum (asterisks); presence of inflammatory process (arrow). Control group (CG); control acute lung injury (ALI); acute lung injury and PBM (ALIP). (stain: HE; scale bar: 50 μm)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Lung injury scoring system analysis. Control group (CG); control acute lung injury (ALI); acute lung injury and PBM (ALI). *CG versus ALI (p = 0.039); #ALIP versus ALI (p = 0.0041)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Morphometric analysis of inflammatory cells number. Control group (CG); control acute lung injury (ALI); acute lung injury and PBM (ALI). *CG versus ALI (p = 0.0036); #ALIP versus ALI (p = 0.0284)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
a Representative sections of IL-1β immunohistochemistry. Immunolabeled inflammatory cells (arrow). b Results of semi-quantitative analysis of the IL-1β expression. Control group (CG); control acute lung injury (ALI); acute lung injury and PBM (ALI). *CG versus ALI (p < 0.0001); #ALIP versus ALI (p = 0.0341). Scale bar: 20 μm
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