Alex Chamberlin, “Effects of 670nm Photobiomodulation In A Rat Model Of Diabetic Retinopathy”
Mentor: Elizabeth Liedhegner, Biomedical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences & Health Care Administration (School of)
Poster #61
Diabetes is a disease that affects over 38 million Americans, almost 11.5% of the United States’ population. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body either cannot produce enough insulin, if any at all, and/or does not effectively use insulin to regulate blood glucose levels often leading to serious complications across the entire body. A common complication of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy (DR) causing spotty vision and can ultimately lead to total blindness. Molecularly, DR is caused by an excess inflammation in the retina and uncontrolled angiogenesis. Currently, DR has limited therapies, all of which aim to alleviate the symptoms associated with DR. Thus, new therapies that target the molecular cause of the disease may prove valuable to limit disease progression. Some studies have shown that 670nm far red light treatments can aid in reducing retinal abnormalities that lead to vision loss in DR. Currently, the data from our research on the mechanism of how 670nm light can treat these retinal abnormalities show that the light can affect the mitochondria by decreasing oxidative stress by increasing mitochondrial respiration, mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP production, and oxygen consumption. In this study, we aim to build upon our previous results and determine the changes in protein mediators of angiogenesis which may be altered by 670nm treatment with the goal of characterizing the mechanism by which photobiomodulation exerts its beneficial effects. Our hypothesis is 670nm light will alter the balance of anti- and pro-angiogenic markers towards an environment of controlled angiogenesis. We will test this hypothesis using a cellular model of acute high glucose exposure in the presence and absence of 670nm light treatment. We will examine angiogenic factors through RNA expression, cellular protein expression, and secreted protein expression.