Biophotonic Treatment Accelerates Burn Wound Healing

A new study suggests that low dose photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy can speed up recovery and reduce inflammation in third-degree burns.

Researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR; Bethesda, MD, USA) and the University at Buffalo (UB; NY, USA) conducted a study to examine the efficacy of PBM treatment in promoting tissue healing and regeneration in a full-thickness burn wound in C57BL/6 mice. PBM was used to activate latent endogenous TGF‐β 1, a protein that controls cell growth and division, including that of immune system cells that lower inflammation, clean cell debris, and fight infection.


The researcher optimized the PBM protocol using an 810 nm continuous wave gallium aluminum arsenide (GaAlAs) laser, and an infrared (IR) camera to monitor tissue surface temperature in order to avoid overheating. They then investigated the roles of individual cell types involved in burn wound healing following PBM treatments and noted discrete effects on epithelieum, fibroblast, and macrophage functions. The responses appeared to be mediated via both TGF-β 1 dependent and independent signaling pathways. The study was published on June 28, 2021, in Nature Scientific Reports.

“This work provides evidence for the ability of PBM-activated TGF-beta one in mitigating the inflammation, while promoting tissue regeneration utilizing an elegant, transgenic burn wound model,” concluded senior author Praveen Arany, DDS, PhD, of the UB School of Dental Medicine, and colleagues. “These mechanistic insights can improve the safety and efficacy of clinical translation of PBM treatments…and may impact therapeutic treatments for burn injuries, which affect more than six million people worldwide each year.”
The clinical benefits of PBM treatments have been demonstrated in the treatment of diabetic, venous, pressure, surgical, burn, and other wounds. Various PBM parameters have been examined in multiple studies, including wavelength (ranging from 660 nm to near-infrared 904 nm), pulsation (0–80 Hz), and doses (2–25 J/cm²).

Related Links:
U.S. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
University at Buffalo