Abstract
Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a complex metabolic disorder resulting in hyperglycaemia.
Impaired wound healing is a serious complication of diabetes, and is a severe public health
problem. Photobiostimulation is a non-invasive form of treatment known to enhance healing of
such wounds using low energy lasers. This study investigated the changes in extracellular matrix
(ECM) gene expression in diabetic wounded fibroblasts in vitro after photobiostimulation at
830 nm. Normal (N-unstressed), normal wounded (NW-stressed) and diabetic wounded (DWstressed)
fibroblasts were incubated for 48 h after irradiation using a continuous wave diode laser at
a wavelength of 830 nm with 5 J/cm2
. Non-irradiated cells (0 J/cm2
) were used as controls. The
gene expression profile (84 genes) was assessed using an ECM real-time reverse transcription
polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) array with the appropriate controls included. Sixty one genes
were significantly regulated (55 up-regulated and 6 down-regulated) in N-cells; 40 genes (20 upregulated,
and 20 down-regulated) in NW-cells; and 42 genes (9 up-regulated and 33 downregulated)
in DW-cells. Several genes were down-regulated in DW-cells as compared to N- and
NW-cells. Photobiostimulation modulated the expression of important genes in wound healing,
including cell adhesion molecules, integrins, ECM proteins, proteases, and inhibitors involved in
the ECM. An in depth comprehension of the molecular and biological processes may create an
improved therapeutic protocol for the treatment of diabetic wounds.