Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2023, Vol. 18 ›› Issue (9): 2005-2010.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.366491

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Photobiomodulation provides neuroprotection through regulating mitochondrial fission imbalance in the subacute phase of spinal cord injury

Xin Li1, 2, #, Xuan-Kang Wang1, #, Zhi-Jie Zhu1, #, Zhuo-Wen Liang1, Peng-Hui Li1, Yang-Guang Ma1, Tan Ding1, Kun Li1, Xiao-Shuang Zuo1, Cheng Ju1, Zhi-Hao Zhang1, Zhi-Wen Song1, Hui-Lin Quan1, Jia-Wei Zhang1, Liang Luo1, Zhe Wang1, *, Xue-Yu Hu1, *   

  1. 1Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China; 2967 Hospital of People’s Liberation Army Joint Logistic Support Force, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
  • Online:2023-09-15 Published:2023-03-06
  • Contact: Xue-Yu Hu, MD, huxueyu@fmmu.edu.cn; Zhe Wang, MD, wangzhe@fmmu.edu.cn.
  • Supported by:
    This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Nos. 81070996 (to ZW) and  81572151 (to XYH); and Shaanxi Provincial Key R&D Program, Nos. 2020ZDLSF02-05 (to ZW), 2021ZDLSF02-10 (to XYH).

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Abstract: Increasing evidence indicates that mitochondrial fission imbalance plays an important role in delayed neuronal cell death. Our previous study found that photobiomodulation improved the motor function of rats with spinal cord injury. However, the precise mechanism remains unclear. To investigate the effect of photobiomodulation on mitochondrial fission imbalance after spinal cord injury, in this study, we treated rat models of spinal cord injury with 60-minute photobiomodulation (810 nm, 150 mW) every day for 14 consecutive days. Transmission electron microscopy results confirmed the swollen and fragmented alterations of mitochondrial morphology in neurons in acute (1 day) and subacute (7 and 14 days) phases. Photobiomodulation alleviated mitochondrial fission imbalance in spinal cord tissue in the subacute phase, reduced neuronal cell death, and improved rat posterior limb motor function in a time-dependent manner. These findings suggest that photobiomodulation targets neuronal mitochondria, alleviates mitochondrial fission imbalance-induced neuronal apoptosis, and thereby promotes the motor function recovery of rats with spinal cord injury. 

Key words: low-level laser therapy, mitochondria, mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial fission imbalance, neuron, photobiomodulation, secondary injury, spinal cord injury