The response of human retinal pigmented epithelial cells in vitro to changes in nitric oxide concentration stimulated by low levels of red light

The goal of this project is to explore the role of nitric oxide (NO) in regulating the response of hTERT-RPE to low-level exposures to red light. Exposure to low-level red light has been shown to positively affect wound healing, reduce pain, and encourage cell proliferation. The current explanation for this effect is described as an interaction between the photons and cytochrome c oxidase (Cco), which plays a role in regulation of intracellular NO levels in addition to being the mitochondrial protein complex where reduction of oxygen occurs in the process of oxidative phosphorylation. Exposure to 2.88 J/cm(2) of 671-nm and 637-nm light shows a two-fold increase in NO immediately after exposure, and a 56% increase in ATP measured at similar to 5 h post exposure. Levels of NF-kappa B mRNA and protein were measured at six and 24 h, respectively, and found to increase six fold, correlating with increases in NO levels. Light-stimulated increased levels of NO also correlated with an 11-fold increase in Bcl-2 and a 70% decrease in Bax mRNA levels, relative to controls. NF-kappa B promotes cell growth and Bcl-2 is an apoptosis suppressor protein. Bax is a positive apoptotic effector protein. These results support the hypothesis that light-induced changes in the intracellular levels of NO play a role in the beneficial effects of low-level light photobiomodulation