Effects of low level laser therapy on attachment, proliferation, and gene expression of VEGF and VEGF receptor 2 of adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cells cultivated under nutritional deficiency

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been shown to increase the proliferation of several cell types. We evaluated the effects of LLLT on adhesion, proliferation, and gene expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and type 2 receptor of VEGF (VEGFR2) at mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from human (hMSCs) and rat (rMSCs) adipose tissues on nutritional deficiencies. A dose-response curve was performed with cells treated with laser Ga-Al-As (660 nm, 30 mW) at energy of 0.7 to 9 J. Cell adhesion and proliferation were quantified 20, 40, and 60 min after LLLT and 24, 72, and 120 h after cultivation. Gene expression was verified by RT-PCR after 2 h of LLLT. A minor nutritional support caused a significant decrease in proliferation and adhesion of hMSCs and rMSCs. However, at the lowest LLLT dose (0.7 J), we observed a higher proliferation in hMSCs at standard condition shortly after irradiation (24 h). Adhesion was higher in hMSCs cultivated in controlled conditions at higher LLLT doses (3 and 9 J), and rMSCs show a reduction in the adhesion on 1.5 to 9 J. On nutritional deprivation, a 9 J dose was shown to reduce proliferation with 24 h and adhesion to all culture times in rMSCs. VEGF and VEGFR2 were increased after LLLT in both cell types. However, hMSCs under nutritional deprivation showed higher expression of VEGF and its receptor after irradiation with other laser doses. In conclusion, LLLT on human and rat MSCs might upregulate VEGF messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and modulate cell adhesion and proliferation distinctively.