Effect of Long-term Photobiological Modulation Therapy on Aging

National Institute On Aging

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The broad objective of this program is to test the beneficial effects of PBM on (1) mouse health span and life span; (2) mouse cardiac frailty; (3) mouse chronic inflammation; and (4) senescence of human vascular smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts and skeletal muscle. 1. Effects of long-term PBM on aging: In order to test the long-term effects of PBM in animal models, we housed a cohort of C57 mice (n=120), male & female, 18 months of age, in a similar environment with free access to food and water. Half of the subjects received light exposures at a dosage of 3J/day for 5days/week until their natural deaths. We used repeated echocardiography and treadmill test to observed cardiac and vascular physiological parameters, gait non-invasively once for every 2 months. Blood samples were collected for epigenetic clock measurements. Study is currently on-going. 2. Effects of long-term PBM on cardiac frailty: The effects of PBM on heart rate, heart rate variability, cytoarchitecture of SAN and calcium signals within SAN in advanced age in the context of cardiac frailty currently are being analyzed in mouse models. 3. Effects of long-term PBM on accelerated aging: Recently we reported that over-expression of AC8 in mouse heart, which significantly increased the heart rate compared to wild-type siblings, may lead to an accelerated aging phenotype. Currently, we are investigating whether PBM can alter the trajectories of cardiovascular parameters during the lifespan of AC8 transgenic mice. 4. Effects of PBM on senescence of cells: We are testing the therapeutic efficacy of PBM on senescence of cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts and skeletal muscle.