Activation of latent TGF‐β1 by low‐power laser in vitro correlates with increased TGF‐β1 levels in laser‐enhanced oral wound healing

The term Laser “Photobiomodulation” was coined to encompass the pleiotropic effects of low‐power lasers on biological processes. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β had a role in mediating the biological effects of low‐power far‐infrared laser irradiation. We assayed for in vitro activation using various biological forms of cell‐secreted, recombinant, and serum latent TGF‐β using the p3TP reporter and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. We demonstrate here that low‐power lasers are capable of activating latent TGF‐β1 and ‐β3 in vitro and, further, that it is capable of “priming” these complexes, making them more amenable to physiological activation present in the healing milieu. Using an in vivo oral tooth extraction‐healing model, we observed an increased TGF‐β1, but not β3, expression by immunohistochemistry immediately following laser irradiation while TGF‐β3 expression was increased after 14 days, concomitant with an increased inflammatory infiltrate. All comparisons were performed between laser‐irradiated wounds and nonirradiated wounds in each subject essentially using them as their own control (paired T‐test p<0.05). Low‐power laser irradiation is capable of activating the latent TGF‐β1 complex in vitro and its expression pattern in vivo suggests that TGF‐β play a central role in mediating the accelerated healing response.