Low-level laser therapy with helium–neon laser improved viability of osteoporotic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells from ovariectomy-induced osteoporotic rats

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influences of helium–neon (He–Ne) and infrared (IR) lasers on the viability and proliferation rate of healthy and ovariectomy-induced osteoporotic (OVX) bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) in vitro. MSCs harvested from the BM of healthy and OVX rats were culture expanded. He–Ne and IR lasers were applied three times at energy densities of 0.6, 1.2, and 2.4 J∕cm2 for BMMSCs. BMMSCs viability and proliferation rate were evaluated by MTT assay on days 2, 4, 6, 14, and 21. The results showed that healthy BMMSCs responded optimally to 0.6 J∕cm2 using an IR laser after three times of laser radiation. Moreover, it was found that OVX-BMMSCs responded optimally to 0.6 J∕cm2 with He–Ne laser and one-time laser radiation. It is concluded that the low-level laser therapy (LLLT) effect depends on the physiological state of the BMMSCs, type of the laser, wavelength, and number of laser sessions. The biostimulation efficiency of LLLT also depends on the delivered energy density. LLLT can enhance the viability and proliferation rate of healthy and especially osteoporotic autologous BMMSCs, which could be very useful in regenerative medicine.

mesenchymal stem cells; low-level laser therapy; osteoporosis; ovariectomy; viability; proliferation rate; rat