Effect of LED phototherapy (λ700 ± 20 nm) on TGF-β expression during wound healing: an immunohistochemical study in a rodent model.

Objective: The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) expression on cutaneous wounds in rodents treated or not treated with LED light.

Background: TGF-β is a multifunctional cytokine that presents a central action during tissue repair. Although several studies both in vitro and in vivo have shown that LED phototherapy influences tissue repair, a full understanding of the mechanisms involved in its usage, such as in the modulation of some growth factors, remains unclear.