Journal of Lasers in Medical Sciences

Abstract

Introduction: Cisplatin is widely used as a key treatment for solid tumors. Despite being a highly effective chemotherapy, the use of cisplatin is restricted by several side effects during treatment, such as germ cell depletion and testicular atrophy. Photobiomodulation (PBM) has emerged as a promising strategy for tissue repair. The present study seeks to assess the effects of PBM on improving antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses in the testicular tissue of adult male mice subjected to cisplatin treatment.
Methods: Twenty-four adult male NMRI mice were randomly assigned to three groups (n=8 each): an untreated Control group (Cont), an Injury group that received a solitary intraperitoneal (IP) injection of Cisplatin at 7 mg/kg (Cis), and a Treatment group that received Laser treatment at 4 J/cm2 following the Cisplatin injection (Treat). Subsequently, the testes and epididymides were extracted. The right testis was designated for histological and stereological analysis, while the left testis was preserved at –80 °C for molecular and biochemical assessments.
Results: PBM conferred notable protective effects after treatment, significantly improving the total sperm count and sperm motility in the Treat group (P≤0.0001). Following laser irradiation, a marked reduction in the TNF-α and IL-1β levels was observed in the Treat group (P=0.0008, P≤0.0001). Moreover, there was a significant rise in the expression of the Bcl-2 gene in the Treat group (P=0.0004).
Conclusion: Notwithstanding the constraints of the current research, this study endorses the translational potential of PBM and establishes a robust basis for forthcoming investigations in the domain of toxicology and laser-assisted therapies.