Enhancing therapeutic efficacy of human adipose-derived stem cells by modulating photoreceptor expression for advanced wound healing

• Published in: Stem cell research & therapy Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 215
• Main Authors: Lee, Sang Ho, Kim, Yu-Jin, Kim, Yeong Hwan, Kim, Han Young, Bhang, Suk Ho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 26.05.2022; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adenosine triphosphate; Adipocytes; Adipose Tissue; Analysis; Care and treatment; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cell growth; Cell migration; Cell proliferation; Engraftment; Fibroblasts; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Heat; Human adipose-derived stem cells; Humans; Keratinocytes; Light emitting diodes; Light therapy; Medical research; Membranes; Opsins; Organic light-emitting diodes; Paracrine signalling; Photobiomodulation; Polymerase chain reaction; Proteins; Reactive oxygen species; Regenerative medicine; Rod Opsins - metabolism; Stem cell research; Stem cells; Stem Cells - metabolism; Transplantation; Wound healing; Wound Healing - physiology; Wounds and injuries; South Korea; Germany; United States > US; Switzerland; Japan; Human adipose-derived stem cells; Opsins; Organic light-emitting diodes; Wound healing; Photobiomodulation
• ISSN: 1757-6512; 1757-6512
• DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-02892-2

Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) have been widely used for regenerative medicine because of their therapeutic efficacy and differentiation capacity. However, there are still limitations to use them intactly due to some difficulties such as poor cell engraftment and viability after cell transplantation. Therefore, techniques such as photobiomodulation (PBM) are required to overcome these limitations. This study probed improved preclinical efficacy of irradiated hADSCs and its underlying molecular mechanism. hADSCs were irradiated with green organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Treated cells were analyzed for mechanism identification and tissue regeneration ability verification. Expression levels of genes and proteins associated with photoreceptor, cell proliferation, migration, adhesion, and wound healing were evaluated by performing multiple assays and immunostaining. Excision wound models were employed to test in vivo therapeutic effects. In vitro assessments showed that Opsin3 (OPN3) and OPN4 are both expressed in hADSCs. However, only OPN4 was stimulated by green OLED irradiation. Cell proliferation, migration, adhesion, and growth factor expression in treated hADSCs were enhanced compared to control group. Conditioned medium containing paracrine factors secreted from irradiated hADSCs increased proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts and normal human epidermal keratinocytes. Irradiated hADSCs exerted better wound healing efficacy in vivo than hADSCs without OLED irradiation. Our study introduces an intracellular mechanism of PBM in hADSCs. Our results revealed that photoreceptor OPN4 known to activate G -protein and consequently lead to reactive oxygen species production responded to OLED irradiation with a wavelength peak of 532 nm. In conclusion, green OLED irradiation can promote wound healing capability of hADSCs, suggesting that green OLED has potential preclinical applications.