TRPV Channels in Mast Cells as a Target for Low-Level-Laser Therapy

Lina Wang; Di Zhang; Wolfgang Schwarz

doi:10.3390/cells3030662

TRPV Channels in Mast Cells as a Target for Low-Level-Laser Therapy

Cells. 2014 Jun 26;3(3):662-73. doi: 10.3390/cells3030662.

Authors

Lina Wang¹, Di Zhang², Wolfgang Schwarz³

Affiliations

¹ Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Shanghai Research Center for Acupuncture and Meridians, Shanghai 201203, China. linawang1103@163.com.
² Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Fudan University Shanghai, Shanghai 201203, China. dizhang@fudan.edu.cn.
³ Institute for Biophysics, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany. schwarz@biophysik.org.

Abstract

Low-level laser irradiation in the visible as well as infrared range is applied to skin for treatment of various diseases. Here we summarize and discuss effects of laser irradiation on mast cells that leads to degranulation of the cells. This process may contribute to initial steps in the final medical effects. We suggest that activation of TRPV channels in the mast cells forms a basis for the underlying mechanisms and that released ATP and histamine may be putative mediators for therapeutic effects.