Effect of Laser Therapy on Defensins' Gene Expression in TR146 Epithelial Cell Line

Introduction: Laser Therapy (LT) has been employed for the treatment of Oral Mucositis (OM) due to its anti-inflammatory, analgesic and bio-stimulatory effects. Objective: This pilot study investigated the effect of LT on the expression of DEFB1, DEFB4, DEFB103 genes encoding for the human β-defensins 1, 2 and 3. Materials and Method: TR146 epithelial cell line, used to mimic oral mucosa, was irradiated with different LT protocols. β-defensins gene expression was evaluated using TaqMan probes on Real- Time PCR platform. Results and Conclusion: In this cellular model LT decreased mRNA defensins' expression 30 minutes after irradiation but not 24 hours later, suggesting that LT is able to influence β -defensins production immediately after treatment, while its efficacy decreases over time.