The effect of red-to-near-infrared (R/NIR) irradiation on inflammatory processes

Abstract

Introduction: Near-infrared (NIR) and red-to-near-infrared (R/NIR) radiation are increasingly applied for therapeutic use. R/NIR-employing therapies aim to stimulate healing, prevent tissue necrosis, increase mitochondrial function, and improve blood flow and tissue oxygenation. The wide range of applications of this radiation raises questions concerning the effects of R/NIR on the immune system.

Methods: In this review, we discuss the potential effects of exposure to R/NIR light on immune cells in the context of physical parameters of light.

Discussion: The effects that R/NIR may induce in immune cells typically involve the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitrogen oxide (NO), or interleukins. Production of ROS after exposure to R/NIR can either be inhibited or to some extent increased, which suggests that detailed conditions of experiments, such as the spectrum of radiation, irradiance, exposure time, determine the outcome of the treatment. However, a wide range of immune cell studies have demonstrated that exposure to R/NIR most often has an anti-inflammatory effect. Finally, photobiomodulation molecular mechanism with particular attention to the role of interfacial water structure changes for cell physiology and regulation of the inflammatory process was described.

Conclusions: Optimization of light parameters allows R/NIR to act as an anti-inflammatory agent in a wide range of medical applications.

Keywords:

• Immune system
• photobiomodulation
• reactive oxygen species (ROS)
• R/NIR radiation
• anti-inflammatory
• low-level light therapy (LLLT)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the grant no. TANGO1/266339/NCBR/2016, which was funded as a result of a common initiative of the National Science Centre and National Centre for Research and Development in Poland and by Wroclaw Centre of Biotechnology, the Leading National Research Centre (KNOW) program for years 2014–2018 and partly by the statutory funds of Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

Notes on contributors

Tomasz Walski

Tomasz Walski received his PhD in Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering from the Warsaw University of Technology. He is currently a Marie Sklodowska-Curie MedTrain Postdoctoral Research Fellow at CÚRAM, Centre for Research in Medical Devices, NUI Galway, Ireland. He is actively engaged in neuroscience and radiation biology research, as well as medical device product development for artificial organs, particularly for extracorporeal circulation, and hemodialysis.

Krystyna Dąbrowska

Krystyna Dąbrowska focuses her research on molecular biology and immunology, with a special scientific interest in the development of new medical solutions. These include new drugs and new therapeutic approaches. She works as a professor of IIET and vice-head for science of R&DC RSH Wrocław.

Anna Drohomirecka

Anna Drohomirecka, MD, PhD, is a cardiologist and researcher. As a clinician, she is specialized in heart failure and heart transplantation. Her research interest focuses on the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases.

Natalia Jędruchniewicz

Natalia Jędruchniewicz, PhD in Medical Sciences, is a biotechnologist. She is interested in medical biotechnology and molecular genetics with a particular interest in the study of human cardiovascular diseases. Her research currently focuses on abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Natalia Trochanowska-Pauk

Natalia Trochanowska-Pauk is a PhD student at WUST. Her research interests focus on the influence of light on tissues, with specific emphasis on the red-to-near-infrared radiation and blood.

Wojciech Witkiewicz

Wojciech Witkiewicz, MD, PhD, Dr. h.c. multi, is a Director of the Regional Specialist Hospital in Wrocław since 1990. He specializes in general and vascular surgery and angiology. His main areas of interest include endovascular surgery and robotic surgery.

Małgorzata Komorowska

Małgorzata Komorowska, a graduate of Chemistry at the Jagiellonian University. Her areas of interest are IR and EPR spectroscopy of biological materials, the molecular mechanism of NIR radiation, the effects of this radiation on blood, and the application of this radiation to protect the blood during extracorporeal circulation.