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Low-level laser therapy stimulates tissue repair and reduces the extracellular matrix degradation in rats with induced arthritis in the temporomandibular joint

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize morphological and biochemistry action of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on induced arthritis in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of rats. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into groups with 12 animals each: (AG) group with arthritis induced in the left TMJ and (LG) group with arthritis induced in the left TMJ and treated with LLLT (830 nm, 30 mW, 3 J/cm2). Right TMJs in the AG group were used as noninjected control group (CG). Arthritis was induced by intra-articular injection of 50 μl Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA) and LLLT began 1 week after arthritis induction. Histopathological analysis was performed using sections stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Toluidine Blue, and picrosirius. Biochemical analysis was determined by the total concentration of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and evaluation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9). Statistical analysis was performed using paired and unpaired t tests, with p < 0.05. Compared to AG, LG had minor histopathological changes in the TMJ, smaller thickness of the articular disc in the anterior (p < 0.0001), middle (p < 0.0001) and posterior regions (p < 0.0001), high birefringence of collagen fibers in the anterior (p < 0.0001), middle (p < 0.0001) and posterior regions (p < 0.0001) on the articular disc, and statistically lower activity of MMP-2 latent (p < 0.0001), MMP-2 active (P = 0.02), MMP-9 latent (p < 0.0001), and MMP-9 active (p < 0.0001). These results suggest that LLLT can increase the remodeling and enhancing tissue repair in TMJ with induced arthritis.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to Fapesp (Foundation for Research of the State of São Paulo), for the financial support and incentives to research (Process 2013/21984-9), and to the IBRAMED company, for lending the laser equipment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas – UNICAMP, Charles Darwin, s/n, CP 6109, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil

    George Azevedo Lemos, Renato Rissi, Ivan Luiz de Souza Pires, Letícia Prado de Oliveira, Andrea Aparecida de Aro, Edson Rosa Pimentel & Evanisi Teresa Palomari

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  1. George Azevedo Lemos
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Lemos, G.A., Rissi, R., de Souza Pires, I.L. et al. Low-level laser therapy stimulates tissue repair and reduces the extracellular matrix degradation in rats with induced arthritis in the temporomandibular joint. Lasers Med Sci 31, 1051–1059 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-016-1946-3

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