Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of near-infrared (NIR) photobiomodulation on the proliferation and glutathione levels in murine Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS) cells after poisoning with vinblastine.
Background: Photobiomodulation has been shown to improve wound healing in a number of animal models. There have been no studies on the effect of photobiomodulation on cancer-related chemotherapy injury to the cells that initiate tooth root growth.
Materials and methods: Control groups consisted of murine HERS cells without vinblastine (VB-) and cells with vinblastine at 10, 20, and 30 ng/mL (VB10, VB20, and VB30). Experimental groups consisted of these same groups with light therapy (VB-L, VB10L, VB20L, and VB30L). The cells were exposed to vinblastine for 1 h. Photobiomodulation consisted of a 75-cm(2) gallium-aluminum-arsenide light-emitting diode (LED) array at an energy density of 12.8 J/cm(2), delivered with 50 mW/cm(2) power over 256 s.
Results: Vinblastine alone significantly decreased HERS cell proliferation and glutathione levels at all concentrations (VB10 [-55%, p < 1.0 × 10(-8)]; VB20 [-72%, p < 1.0 × 10(-9)]; VB30 [-80%, p < 1.0 × 10(-10)]; and VB10 [-36%, p < 0.0001]; VB20 [-49%, p < 1.0 × 10(-6)]; VB30 [-53%, p < 1.0 × 10(-7)] respectively). Photobiomodulation significantly increased cell proliferation at all levels of vinblastine exposure (VB10L [+50%, p < 0.0001]; VB20L [+45%, p < 0.05]; VB30 [+39%, p < 0.05]) but not of the control (+22%, p = 0.063). The photobiomodulation significantly increased glutathione production in all concentrations of vinblastine except 20 ng/mL (VB10L [+39%, p = 0.007]; VB20L [+19%, p = 0.087]; VB30 [+14%, p = 0.025]) and the control (+12%, p = 0.13).
Conclusions: Photobiomodulation demonstrated an improvement in proliferation and glutathione levels in vinblastine-poisoned murine HERS cells.