Time response of increases in ATP and muscle resistance to fatigue after low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in mice

Author(s)

Ferraresi, Cleber ^{[1, 2, 3, 4]} ; Pires de Sousa, Marcelo Victor ^{[1, 5]} ; Huang, Ying-Ying ^{[1, 6]} ; Bagnato, Vanderlei Salvador ^[2] ; Parizotto, Nivaldo Antonio ^{[3, 4]} ; Hamblin, Michael R. ^{[1, 6, 7]}

Affiliation

^[1] Massachusetts Gen Hosp, Wellman Ctr Photomed, Boston, MA 02114 - USA

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Phys Inst Sao Carlos, BR-13560 Sao Carlos - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Dept Phys Therapy, Lab Electrothermophototherapy, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Postgraduat Program Biotechnol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Phys, Lab Radiat Dosimetry & Med Phys, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[6] Harvard Univ, Sch Med, Dept Dermatol, Boston, MA 02115 - USA

^[7] MIT, Harvard Mit Div Hlth Sci & Technol, Cambridge, MA 02139 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Lasers in Medical Science; v. 30, n. 4, p. 1259-1267, MAY 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 32

Abstract

Recently, low-level laser (light) therapy has been used to increase muscle performance in intense exercises. However, there is a lack of understanding of the time response of muscles to light therapy. The first purpose of this study was to determine the time response for light-emitting diode therapy (LEDT)-mediated increase in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles in mice. Second purpose was to test whether LEDT can increase the resistance of muscles to fatigue during intense exercise. Fifty male Balb/c mice were randomly allocated into two equal groups: LEDT-ATP and LEDT-fatigue. Both groups were subdivided into five equal subgroups: LEDT-sham, LEDT-5 min, LEDT-3 h, LEDT-6 h, and LEDT-24 h. Each subgroup was analyzed for muscle ATP content or fatigue at specified time after LEDT. The fatigue test was performed by mice repeatedly climbing an inclined ladder bearing a load of 150 % of body weight until exhaustion. LEDT used a cluster of LEDs with 20 red (630 +/- 10 nm, 25 mW) and 20 infrared (850 +/- 20 nm, 50 mW) delivering 80 mW/cm(2) for 90 s (7.2 J/cm(2)) applied to legs, gluteus, and lower back muscles. LEDT-6 h was the subgroup with the highest ATP content in soleus and gastrocnemius compared to all subgroups (P < 0.001). In addition, mice in LEDT-6 h group performed more repetitions in the fatigue test (P < 0.001) compared to all subgroups: LEDT-sham and LEDT-5 min (similar to 600 %), LEDT-3 h (similar to 200 %), and LEDT-24 h (similar to 300 %). A high correlation between the fatigue test repetitions and the ATP content in soleus (r = 0.84) and gastrocnemius (r = 0.94) muscles was observed. LEDT increased ATP content in muscles and fatigue resistance in mice with a peak at 6 h. Although the time response in mice and humans is not the same, athletes might consider applying LEDT at 6 h before competition. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/07194-7 - Use of low-level laser and light-emitting diode therapy to increase muscle performance: from in vitro and experimental studies to clinical applications
• Grantee: Cleber Ferraresi
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 12/05919-0 - Effects of low level laser therapy on modulation of the transcriptome, immunohistochemistry of muscle tissue and physical performance of young men undergoing physical strength training
• Grantee: Cleber Ferraresi
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate