Far-infrared radiation stimulates platelet-derived growth factor mediated skeletal muscle cell migration through extracellular matrix-integrin signaling

Cardioprotection via mitochondrial transplantation supports fatty acid metabolism in ischemia-reperfusion injured rat heart

In addition to cellular damage, ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury induces substantial damage to the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. In this study, we sought to determine whether impaired mitochondrial function owing to IR could be restored by transplanting mitochondria into the heart under ex vivo IR states. Additionally, we aimed to provide preliminary results to inform therapeutic options for ischemic heart disease (IHD). Healthy mitochondria isolated from autologous gluteus maximus muscle were transplanted into the hearts of Sprague-Dawley rats damaged by IR using the Langendorff system, and the heart rate and oxygen consumption capacity of the mitochondria were measured to confirm whether heart function was restored. In addition, relative expression levels were measured to identify the genes related to IR injury. Mitochondrial oxygen consumption capacity was found to be lower in the IR group than in the group that underwent mitochondrial transplantation after IR injury (p < 0.05), and the control group showed a tendency toward increased oxygen consumption capacity compared with the IR group. Among the genes related to fatty acid metabolism, Cpt1b (p < 0.05) and Fads1 (p < 0.01) showed significant expression in the following order: IR group, IR + transplantation group, and control group. These results suggest that mitochondrial transplantation protects the heart from IR damage and may be feasible as a therapeutic option for IHD.

Resonating with Cellular Pathways: Transcriptome Insights into Nonthermal Bioeffects of Middle Infrared Light Stimulation and Vibrational Strong Coupling on Cell Proliferation and Migration

Middle infrared stimulation (MIRS) and vibrational strong coupling (VSC) have been separately applied to physically regulate biological systems but scarcely compared with each other, especially at identical vibrational frequencies, though they both involve resonant mechanism. Taking cell proliferation and migration as typical cell-level models, herein, we comparatively studied the nonthermal bioeffects of MIRS and VSC with selecting the identical frequency (53.5 THz) of the carbonyl vibration. We found that both MIRS and VSC can notably increase the proliferation rate and migration capacity of fibroblasts. Transcriptome sequencing results reflected the differential expression of genes related to the corresponding cellular pathways. This work not only sheds light on the synergistic nonthermal bioeffects from the molecular level to the cell level but also provides new evidence and insights for modifying bioreactions, further applying MIRS and VSC to the future medicine of frequencies.

Examining the Impact of Far-Infrared Technology on Quality of Life in Older Adults

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of far-infrared (FIR) heat on quality of life (QOL) in older adults. Participants were assigned to either a convective heat group (CON) or a convective and FIR group. Participants received six, 30-min heat sessions over the course of three weeks. Pre- and post-assessments included physical measures such as range of motion, gait speed, Timed Up and Go, and hand grip strength. Standardized questionnaires were used to determine pain severity and its interference with daily life, and the impact pain had on overall QOL. Pain severity was significantly reduced (from 3.31 to 2.5, p < .05) in the FIR group from pre-to-post, and pain interference was significantly reduced (from 1.26 to 0.43, p < .05) in the CON group from pre-to-post testing. Findings suggest that heat therapy was successful in reducing pain over time.

Does Far-Infrared Therapy Improve Peritoneal Function and Reduce Recurrent Peritonitis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients?

The use of peritoneal dialysis in end-stage renal disease is increasing in clinical practice. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of far-infrared radiation therapy on inflammation and the cellular immunity of patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. We recruited 56 patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis, and we included 32 patients for the experimental group and 24 patients from the control group in the final analysis. The experimental evaluation in our study was as follows: (1) We used abdominal computed tomography to explore the changes in abdominal blood vessels. (2) We compared the effects of peritoneal dialysis using blood glucose, HbAlC, albumin, urea nitrogen, creatinine, white blood cells, hs-CRP; peritoneal Kt/V of peritoneal function, and eGFR. (3) We compared the cytokines’ concentrations in the two groups while controlling for the other cytokines. Results and Discussion: (1) There was no significant difference in the abdominal blood vessels of the experimental group relative to the control group according to abdominal CT over the 6 months. (2) Our study demonstrates statistically significant effects of FIR therapy on the following parameters: creatinine (p = 0.039 *) and hs-CRP (p < 0.001 **) levels decreased significantly, and eGFR (p = 0.043 *), glucose (p < 0.001 **), and albumin (p = 0.048 *) levels increased significantly. Our study found that in the experimental group, creatinine and hs-CRP levels decreased significantly due to FIR therapy for 6 months. However, our study also found that the glucose level was significantly different after FIR therapy for 6 months. Peritoneal dialysis combined with FIR can reduce the side effects of the glucose in the dialysis buffer, which interferes with peritoneal inflammation and peritoneal mesothelial cell fibrosis. (3) In addition, we also found that no statistically significant difference in any inflammatory cytokine after FIR therapy. IFN-γ (p = 0.124), IL-12p70 (p = 0.093), IL-18 (p = 0.213), and TNF-α (p = 0.254) did not exhibit significant improvements after peritoneal dialysis with FIR treatment over 6 months. Conclusions: We found that the effectiveness of peritoneal dialysis was improved significantly with FIR therapy, and significant improvements in the peritoneal permeability and inflammatory response were observed.

Infrared Radiation in the Management of Musculoskeletal Conditions and Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review

Infrared radiation (IR) is a promising complementary treatment for musculoskeletal conditions and chronic pain. By means of a systematic review, we evaluated the contribution of IR to the management of these ailments. PubMed-MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library–Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched until 20 December 2021. The literature search yielded 233 relevant records. Following the screening of titles and abstracts, 42 full-texts were evaluated. As per inclusion/exclusion criteria, 13 publications were entered into the qualitative assessment. These studies described the effects of IR in humans: three studies focused on osteoarthritis, four studies on fibromyalgia, and six encompassed a wider range of diseases (ankylosing spondylitis, recovery from sports injuries, myofascial pain syndrome). Based on the findings of our systematic review, we noted a decrease in pain levels, as evaluated by the visual analog scale (VAS), in patients suffering from musculoskeletal disorders treated with IR. In addition, IR use led to a decrease in Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FiQ) scores in subjects diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Nevertheless, IR has failed to facilitate muscle recovery following athletic injuries.

Far-infrared rays enhance mitochondrial biogenesis and GLUT3 expression under low glucose conditions in rat skeletal muscle cells

Far-infrared rays (FIR) are known to have various effects on atoms and molecular structures within cells owing to their radiation and vibration frequencies. The present study examined the effects of FIR on gene expression related to glucose transport through microarray analysis in rat skeletal muscle cells, as well as on mitochondrial biogenesis, at high and low glucose conditions. FIR were emitted from a bio-active material coated fabric (BMCF). L6 cells were treated with 30% BMCF for 24 h in medium containing 25 or 5.5 mM glucose, and changes in the expression of glucose transporter genes were determined. The expression of GLUT3 (Slc2a3) increased 2.0-fold (p < 0.05) under 5.5 mM glucose and 30% BMCF. In addition, mitochondrial oxygen consumption and membrane potential (ΔΨ_m) increased 1.5- and 3.4-fold (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001), respectively, but no significant change in expression of Pgc-1a, a regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, was observed in 24 h. To analyze the relationship between GLUT3 expression and mitochondrial biogenesis under FIR, GLUT3 was down-modulated by siRNA for 72 h. As a result, the ΔΨ_m of the GLUT3 siRNA-treated cells increased 3.0-fold (p < 0.001), whereas that of the control group increased 4.6-fold (p < 0.001). Moreover, Pgc-1a expression increased upon 30% BMCF treatment for 72 h; an effect that was more pronounced in the presence of GLUT3. These results suggest that FIR may hold therapeutic potential for improving glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function in metabolic diseases associated with insufficient glucose supply, such as type 2 diabetes.

Network pharmacology strategy for predicting the correlation of Systemic Scleroderma with Vitamin D deficiency

The deficiency of Vitamin D (V_D) is a common symptom of systemic scleroderma (SSc), but the correlation of V_D deficiency and SSc is not completely clear. Therefore, a strategy based on network pharmacology was designed to explore the correlation of V_D deficiency and SSc. After a series of network construction and analysis, 5 integrins were predicated as the kernel targets in the correlation of V_D deficiency and SSc, including ITGA5, ITGA4, ITGB3, ITGB1 and ITGAV. The crucial pathways in which the kernel targets participated were mainly involved in the function of immune, vascular and internal organ. The regulation modules of crucial pathways were closely related to the biological processes in the pathological of SSc. Taken together, the analysis predicted that the deficiency of V_D might affect the pathological of SSc through the mediation of these integrins. Therefore, targeted regulation of these integrins might be an effective therapy against SSc.