Photobiomodulation Suppresses Alpha-Synuclein-Induced Toxicity in an AAV-Based Rat Genetic Model of Parkinson's Disease.
Converging lines of evidence indicate that near-infrared light treatment, also known as photobiomodulation (PBM), may exert beneficial effects and protect against cellular toxicity and degeneration in several animal models of human pathologies, including neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study, we report that chronic PMB treatment mitigates dopaminergic loss induced by unilateral overexpression of human α-synuclein (α-syn) in the substantia nigra of an AAV-based rat genetic model of Parkinson's disease (PD). In this model, daily exposure of both sides of the rat's head to 808-nm near-infrared light for 28 consecutive days alleviated α-syn-induced motor impairment, as assessed using the cylinder test. This treatment also significantly reduced dopaminergic neuronal loss in the injected substantia nigra and preserved dopaminergic fibers in the ipsilateral striatum. These beneficial effects were sustained for at least 6 weeks after discontinuing the treatment. Together, our data point to PBM as a possible therapeutic strategy for the treatment of PD and other related synucleinopathies.
Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland; Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de Québec, Axe Neuroscience et Département de Médecine Moléculaire de l'Université Laval, Québec, G1V4G2, Canada.
Abid
A
Oueslati
Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland; Medos International Sàrl, a Johnson&Johnson company, Chemin Blanc 38, CH-2400, Le Locle, Switzerland.
Blaise
B
Lovisa
Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
John
J
Perrin
Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Georges
G
Wagnières
Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Hubert
H
van den Bergh
Medos International Sàrl, a Johnson&Johnson company, Chemin Blanc 38, CH-2400, Le Locle, Switzerland.
Yanik
Y
Tardy
Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland; Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 5825, Doha, Qatar.
Hilal A
HA
Lashuel
D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*