ABSTRACT
Full spectrum light (FSL) includes UVA, visible light and infrared light. Many studies have investigated the application of FSL in severe cases of atopic dermatitis (AD) in humans; however, FSL has not yet been studied in an animal model. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of FSL on AD-like skin lesions using NC/Nga mice, with the aim of mitigating itching and attenuating the expression of adhesion molecules. We examined the effects of FSL on mite allergen-treated NC/Nga mice by assessing skin symptom severity, ear thickness, serum IgE levels, and the cytokine expression. We examined the histology of lesions using hematoxylin-eosin, toluidine blue and immunohistochemical staining. Our findings suggest that FSL phototherapy exerts positive therapeutic effects on Dermatophagoides farinae (Df)-induced AD-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice by reducing IgE levels, thus promoting recovery of the skin barrier. The mechanisms by which FSL phototherapy exerts its effects may also involve the inhibition of scratching behavior, reduction of IL-6 levels and reductions in adhesion molecule expression. The present study indicates that FSL phototherapy inhibits the development of AD in NC/Nga mice by suppressing cytokine, chemokine and adhesion molecule expression, and thus, could potentially be useful in treating AD.
Subject(s)
Dermatitis, Atopic/radiotherapy , Phototherapy/methods , Pruritus/radiotherapy , Skin/radiation effects , Allergens/immunology , Animals , Dermatitis, Atopic/chemically induced , Dermatitis, Atopic/immunology , Dermatitis, Atopic/pathology , Dermatophagoides farinae/immunology , Disease Models, Animal , Ear/pathology , Ear/radiation effects , Gene Expression , Histocytochemistry , Humans , Immunoglobulin E/blood , Immunoglobulin E/immunology , Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1/genetics , Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1/immunology , Interleukin-1beta/blood , Interleukin-1beta/immunology , Interleukin-4/blood , Interleukin-4/immunology , Interleukin-6/blood , Interleukin-6/immunology , Light , Male , Mice , Pruritus/chemically induced , Pruritus/immunology , Pruritus/pathology , Skin/immunology , Skin/pathology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin disease resulting in a profound deterioration in quality of life. The FSL® is a newly developed phototherapy device generating full-spectrum light (FSL) with a continuous wavelength (320-5000 nm). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FSL® phototherapy in AD. METHODS: We enrolled 38 patients with moderate to severe AD in this open, randomized, controlled, prospective study. In the FSL-irradiated group (20 patients), irradiation was conducted twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. In the control group (18 patients), only emollient application was allowed. SCORing Atopic Dermatis (SCORAD) values were obtained at baseline, week 4 and 8. Patients were asked to give subjective assessments of improvement and laboratory tests including serum eosinophil counts, ECP levels, IgE levels and 22 cytokine levels were performed. RESULTS: In the FSL-irradiated group, the mean SCORAD value decreased significantly after 4 weeks of phototherapy and remained reduced for a further 4 weeks after the cessation of treatment. In the control group, the mean SCORAD value did not change significantly over the study period. Patients' subjective assessments indicated good to excellent responses in 75% of the FSL-irradiated group, by contrast with 50% of the control group. The mean values for serum eosinophil counts, IL-4 and IL-5 levels decreased significantly after FLS phototherapy. No serious adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we showed that FSL® phototherapy can be an effective and safe treatment option in AD.
