title: Pre-conditioning with transcranial low-level light therapy reduces neuroinflammation and protects blood-brain barrier after focal cerebral ischemia in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transcranial low-level light therapy (LLLT) has gained interest as a non-invasive, inexpensive and safe method of modulating neurological and psychological functions in recent years. This study was designed to examine the preventive effects of LLLT via visible light source against cerebral ischemia at the behavioral, structural and neurochemical levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mice received LLLT twice a day for 2 days prior to photothrombotic cortical ischemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LLLT significantly reduced infarct size and edema and improved neurological and motor function 24 h after ischemic injury. In addition, LLLT markedly inhibited Iba-1- and GFAP-positive cells, which was accompanied by a reduction in the expression of inflammatory mediators and inhibition of MAPK activation and NF-κB translocation in the ischemic cortex. Concomitantly, LLLT significantly attenuated leukocyte accumulation and infiltration into the infarct perifocal region. LLLT also prevented BBB disruption after ischemic events, as indicated by a reduction of Evans blue leakage and water content. These findings were corroborated by immunofluorescence staining of the tight junction-related proteins in the ischemic cortex in response to LLLT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-invasive intervention of LLLT in ischemic brain injury may provide a significant functional benefit with an underlying mechanism possibly being suppression of neuroinflammation and reduction of BBB disruption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hae In
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center of Color Seven, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nam Gyun
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center of Color Seven, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung-Jun
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.|Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.|Korean Medical Science Research Center for Healthy-Aging, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Tae
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.|Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National UniversityYangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.|Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Ii
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.|Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.|Korean Medical Science Research Center for Healthy-Aging, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.|Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hwa Kyoung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis / Q000150:complications; D019194:Ischemic Preconditioning / Q000379:methods; D007962:Leukocytes; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009043:Motor Activity; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C491049:Aif1 protein, mouse; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D008840:Microfilament Proteins
keywords: Low-level light therapy; blood-brain barrier; focal cerebral ischemia; neuroinflammation