title: Combined use of low level laser therapy and cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibition on skin incisional wound reepithelialization in mice: a preclinical study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low level laser therapy and cyclooxygenase-2 (ICOX2) selective inhibitors have been widely used to modulate inflammatory response; however, their effect on wound reepithelialization are not well understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the isolated and combined effects of low level laser therapy and ICOX2 in the reepithelization of skin incisional wounds in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  We induced a 1-cm wound on the back of each mouse, which were divided into four groups (N = 20): control, laser therapy, treated with celecoxib and combined therapy. The animals in the celecoxib and combined therapy groups were treated with celecoxib for 10 days before skin incision. The experimental wounds were irradiated with He-Ne low power laser (632nm, dose: 4J/cm2) in scanning for 12 seconds during three consecutive days in the laser therapy and combined therapy groups. The animals were sacrificed 3 days after surgery. Samples of the wounds were collected and stained (Masson's Trichrome) for histomorphometric analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the laser therapy group and the celecoxib group showed an increase in skin reepithelialization compared to the control group; however, the combined therapy group showed no differences. As for keratinization, the laser therapy and combined therapy groups showed a reduction in keratinocytes compared with the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that the use of low level laser therapy and ICOX2 in isolation increases epithelial cells, but only low level laser therapy reduced skin keratinocytes. The combined treatment restores innate epithelialization and decreases keratinization in spite of accelerating wound contraction with improvement in the organization of the wound in the skin of mice.
authors: Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. csantuzzi@terra.com.br
authors: Cíntia Helena
authors: CH
authors: Santuzzi
authors: Hygor Franca
authors: HF
authors: Buss
authors: Diego França
authors: DF
authors: Pedrosa
authors: Martha Oliveira Vieira Moniz
authors: MO
authors: Freire
authors: Breno Valentim
authors: BV
authors: Nogueira
authors: Washington Luiz Silva
authors: WL
authors: Gonçalves