Unraveling the parameters and biological mechanisms of CO2 laser therapy for acute pain relief

Xianggang Wang; Jiaqi Liu; Zhonghan Wang; Chunming Guo; Hongjia Lan; Shibin Feng; He Liu; Xun Gao; Dongming Zhang; Lintao Zhu; Hui Jin; Jincheng Wang

doi:10.3389/fneur.2023.1271655

Unraveling the parameters and biological mechanisms of CO₂ laser therapy for acute pain relief

Front Neurol. 2023 Oct 20:14:1271655. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1271655. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Xianggang Wang^{1

2}, Jiaqi Liu^{1

2}, Zhonghan Wang^{1

2}, Chunming Guo^{1

2}, Hongjia Lan^{1

2}, Shibin Feng^{1

2}, He Liu^{1

2}, Xun Gao³, Dongming Zhang⁴, Lintao Zhu⁵, Hui Jin^{1

2}, Jincheng Wang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Orthopaedic Medical Center, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
² Orthopaedic Research Institute of Jilin Province, Changchun, China.
³ School of Physics, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China.
⁴ Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences of Jilin Province, Changchun, China.
⁵ Changchun Ideal Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Changchun, China.

Abstract

Acute pain-related pathology is a significant challenge in clinical practice, and the limitations of traditional pain-relief drugs have made it necessary to explore alternative approaches. Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy using CO₂ laser has emerged as a promising option. In this study, we aimed to identify the optimal parameters of CO₂ laser irradiation for acute pain relief through in vivo and in vitro experiments. First, we validated the laser intensity used in this study through bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) experiments to ensure it will not adversely affect stem cell viability and morphology. Then we conducted a detailed evaluation of the duty cycle and frequency of CO₂ laser by the hot plate and formalin test. Results showed a duty cycle of 3% and a frequency of 25 kHz produced the best outcomes. Additionally, we investigated the potential mechanisms underlying the effects of CO₂ laser by immunohistochemical staining, and found evidence to suggest that the opioid receptor may be involved in its analgesic effect. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the optimal parameters and underlying mechanisms of CO₂ laser therapy for effective pain relief, thereby paving the way for future clinical applications.

Keywords: CO2 laser; acute pain relief; analgesic effect; formalin test; opioid receptor.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the Horizontal Project of Jilin University (Grant No. 2021YX0554); Scientific Development Program of Jilin Province (Grant Nos. 20220401103YY); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 82001971, 82102358 and 82202698); Scientific Development Program of Jilin Province (Grant Nos. 20200403088SF, 20220204117YY, YDZJ202201ZYTS086, 20200404202YY and 20200802008GH); Program of Jilin Provincial Health Department (Grant No. 2020SC2T064 and 2020SC2T065); Project of “Medical+X” Interdisciplinary Innovation Team of Norman Bethune Health Science Center of Jilin University (Grant No. 2022JBGS06); China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2021M701384); Bethune Plan of Jilin University (Grant No. 2022B27 and 2023B10).