Photobiomodulation modulates inflammation and oral microbiome: a pilot study

Abstract

Introduction

Oral mucositis (OM) is a severe side effect in patients undergoing anticancer therapies, which negatively impacts on their quality of life often leading to either the interruption of the therapy. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is emerging as an effective strategy allowing a faster wound healing.

Objectives

This pilot study aims at verifying whether PBM modulates the inflammatory response in patients and its effect on the oral microbiome composition.

Materials and methods

Buccal swabs were collected from four patients affected by OM, both on ulcerated and clinically healthy areas, before and on the last day of PBM therapy, as well as on the first day after treatment discontinuation. The concentration of 38 cytokines and the composition of oral microbiome were measured.

Results

Most of the pro-inflammatory cytokines were reduced, whereas anti-inflammatory cytokines resulted up-regulated by PBM. In addition, PBM influenced the composition of oral microbiome, by decreasing the amount of pathogenic species and promoting the growth of commensal bacteria. These changes were even more evident when separately analysing patients who clinically responded to PBM and the only patient who did not respond.

Conclusions

PBM reduces inflammatory burden in patients affected by OM and positively influences the composition of the oral microbiome.

Keywords:

• Growth factors/cytokines/inflammatory mediators
• immunotoxicity
• inflammation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported from Italian Ministry of Health and Institute of Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo by a grant [R.C.26/13], Trieste and by intramural supports by the ICGEB to the Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory.