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Updated: Jan 15, 2026
A Protocol for Transcranial Photobiomodulation Therapy in Mice
Published on: November 18, 2018
Photobiomodulation mitigates phenanthrene-induced testicular toxicity in mice by modulating oxidative stress and
Azar Afshar1,2, Fakhroddin Aghajanpour1,2, Fatemeh Fadaefathabadi1,2
1Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Objective:
Organic compounds present in environmental pollution are currently regarded as major health threats. Phenanthrene (Phe), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, impairs testicular function through oxidative stress, leading to the failure of spermatogenesis. This study aimed to explore the potential beneficial effects of photobiomodulation (PBM) on testicular tissue and sperm parameters following Phe exposure in mice.
Methods:
Twenty-four adult male mice, aged 8 weeks, were randomly divided into three groups: control, Phe, and Phe+PBM. In the Phe and Phe+PBM groups, mice received Phe (500 ng/kg) via gavage every 48 hours for 5 weeks. Following Phe exposure, the testes of the Phe+PBM mice were irradiated with laser photons every other day for 35 days. After euthanasia, epididymal tails and testes were collected for molecular and histological analyses.
Results:
PBM significantly improved sperm count, motility, and viability (p<0.0001). Moreover, reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation, and apoptosis were markedly reduced in the testicular tissue of the laser-treated mice (p<0.0001). Improvements were also observed in seminiferous epithelium thickness and cell distribution following PBM (p<0.0001).
Conclusion:
Laser therapy significantly mitigates testicular damage from Phe exposure by reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis biomarkers, thereby improving testicular tissue and sperm parameters.
