title: Shining light on nanotechnology to help repair and regeneration.
abstract: Phototherapy can be used in two completely different but complementary therapeutic applications. While low level laser (or light) therapy (LLLT) uses red or near-infrared light alone to reduce inflammation, pain and stimulate tissue repair and regeneration, photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses the combination of light plus non-toxic dyes (called photosensitizers) to produce reactive oxygen species that can kill infectious microorganisms and cancer cells or destroy unwanted tissue (neo-vascularization in the choroid, atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries). The recent development of nanotechnology applied to medicine (nanomedicine) has opened a new front of advancement in the field of phototherapy and has provided hope for the development of nanoscale drug delivery platforms for effective killing of pathological cells and to promote repair and regeneration. Despite the well-known beneficial effects of phototherapy and nanomaterials in producing the killing of unwanted cells and promoting repair and regeneration, there are few reports that combine all three elements i.e. phototherapy, nanotechnology and, tissue repair and regeneration. However, these areas in all possible binary combinations have been addressed by many workers. The present review aims at highlighting the combined multi-model applications of phototherapy, nanotechnology and, reparative and regeneration medicine and outlines current strategies, future applications and limitations of nanoscale-assisted phototherapy for the management of cancers, microbial infections and other diseases, and to promote tissue repair and regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Asheesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Avci
authors.forename: Magesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadasivam
authors.forename: Rakkiyappan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chandran
authors.forename: Nivaldo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parizotto
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.forename: Wanessa C M A
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: de Melo
authors.forename: Tianhong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Long Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hamblin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D050997:Nanomedicine / Q000379:methods*; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods*