High-Fluence Light-Emitting Diode–Generated Red Light Modulates the Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Pathway in Human Skin Fibroblasts

BACKGROUND Skin fibrosis is a significant medical problem with limited available treatment modalities. The key cellular characteristics include increased fibroblast proliferation, collagen production, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-B)/SMAD pathway signaling. The authors have previously shown that high-fluence light-emitting diode red light (HF-LED-RL) decreases cellular proliferation and collagen production. OBJECTIVE Herein, the authors investigate the ability of HF-LED-RL to modulate the TGF-B/SMAD pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS Normal human dermal fibroblasts were cultured and irradiated with a commercially available hand-held LED array. After irradiation, cell lysates were collected and levels of pSMAD2, TGF-Beta 1, and TGF-Beta I receptor were measured using Western blot. RESULTS High-fluence light-emitting diode red light decreased TGF-Beta 1 ligand (TGF-B1) levels after irradiation. 320 J/cm2 HF-LED-RL resulted in 59% TGF-B1 and 640 J/cm2 HF-LED-RL resulted in 54% TGF-B1, relative to controls. 640 J/cm2 HF-LED-RL resulted in 62% pSMAD2 0 hours after irradiation, 65% pSMAD2 2 hours after irradiation, and 95% 4 hours after irradiation, compared with matched controls. High-fluence light-emitting diode red light resulted in no significant difference in transforming growth factor-beta receptor I levels compared with matched controls. CONCLUSION Skin fibrosis is a significant medical problem with limited available treatment modalities. Light-emitting diode–generated red light is a safe, economic, and noninvasive modality that has a body of in vitro evidence supporting the reduction of key cellular characteristics associated with skin fibrosis. Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Jared Jagdeo, MD, MS, Department of Dermatology, University of California at Davis, 3301 C St. #1300, Sacramento, CA 95816, or e-mail: jrjagdeo@gmail.com. The project described was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through Grant number UL1 TR000002 and linked awards TL1 TR000133 and KL2 TR000134. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K23GM117309. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters. PhotoTherapeutics provided the device used in this study. © 2018 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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