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Updated: Dec 23, 2025
Accessing the Cytotoxicity and Cell Response to Biomaterials
Published on: July 8, 2021
Photobiomodulation effect on angiogenic proteins produced and released by dental pulp cells
Luciana Lourenço Ribeiro Vitor1, Mariel Tavares Oliveira Prado Bergamo2, Natalino Lourenço-Neto2
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Sacred Heart, Rua Irmã Arminda, 10-50, Bauru, São Paulo, 17011-160, Brazil. luvitor@alumni.usp.br.
Objective:
To verify the photobiomodulation effect on angiogenic proteins produced and released by dental human pulpal fibroblasts (HPFs).
Material And Methods:
HPFs were irradiated with 660-nm low-level laser at fluences of 2.5 J/cm2 and 3.7 J/cm2. The control group was not irradiated. MTT, crystal violet, and ELISA assays respectively verified viability, proliferation, and angiogenic protein (supernatant/lysate) at 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h after photobiomodulation. Capillary-like structure formation assay verified functional role. Two-way ANOVA/Tukey's test and ANOVA/Bonferroni's multiple comparisons test respectively verified cell viability/proliferation and intragroup and intergroup comparisons of protein synthesis (p < 0.05).
Results:
Irradiated and non-irradiated HPFs showed statistically similar cell viability and proliferation pattern. Intragroup comparisons showed similar patterns of protein synthesis for all groups: VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) increased significantly in the supernatant, while FGF-2 and VEGF-A increased significantly in the lysate. The lower fluence significantly increased BMP-9 (6 h) in the supernatant and VEGFR1 (6 h and 12 h) and VEGF-D (24 h) in the lysate, while the higher fluence significantly increased BMP-9 (6 h) in the supernatant and VEGFR1 (12 h) in the lysate. Regardless of the time, both fluences statistically downregulated placental growth factor (PLGF) and PDGF secretion. Both fluences statistically decreased VEGF-A secretion (24 h) and PLGF production (6 h).
Conclusion:
Photobiomodulation produced stimulatory effects on angiogenic protein secretion by pulp fibroblasts. In terms of photobiomodulation, over time, both fluences significantly increased the secretion of VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGFR1 and significantly upregulated BMP-9 (6 h) in the supernatant; for capillary-like structure formation, the fluence of 2.5 J/cm2 was better than the fluence of 3.7 J/cm2.
Clinical Relevance:
This study results addressed effective photobiomodulation parameters tailored for pulp angiogenesis.
