Red-light LED therapy promotes wound regeneration by upregulating COL1A1, COL2A1, VEGF and reducing IL-1β for anti-inflammation.

Abstract

This study examines the effects of 630 nm red-light laser therapy on wound healing, with a focus on VEGF-mediated angiogenesis and collagen production. The effectiveness of red-light therapy is influenced by critical parameters, including treatment duration and distance, which often lack standardization across protocols. To address this, we conducted cell viability and scratch wound assays using NIH/3T3 cells in-vitro to identify optimal treatment conditions. Treatment durations of 10 s, 30 s, 60 s, and 5 min, along with distances of 3 cm and 5 cm, were evaluated. Following parameter optimization, the wound-healing efficacy of red-light therapy was assessed in-vivo using nude mice. Standardized 4 mm wounds were created using a biopsy punch, and healing was evaluated at 7 and 21-days post-intervention. Histological analysis was performed, and gene and protein expression levels of COL1A1, COL2A1, VEGF, and IL-1β, which are implicated in wound healing, were assessed via RT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Results demonstrated that red-light laser therapy significantly upregulated collagen and VEGF expression while reducing IL-1β levels at the three-week time point (p < 0.05). Notably, these effects were comparable to hydrogel treatment, which served as a positive control to assess the efficacy of light-emitting diode (LED)-based therapy. These findings indicate that red-light therapy effectively promotes wound healing by enhancing collagen synthesis and VEGF-mediated angiogenesis within the wound bed.