Helium-neon laser irradiation is not a stressful treatment: A study on heat-shock protein (HSP70) level

Background and Objective: Helium-neon (He-Ne) laser irradiation has been clinically used to reduce chemotherapy-induced mucositis. This work was designed to find out if this treatment is stressful at the cellular level by studying its effects on the level of the stress-inducible heat shock proteins. Study Design/Materials and Methods: Human desmodontal and mouse L929 fibroblasts were irradiated using a 60 mW laser by a single application of 1.5 and 3J/cm(2) in continuous mode. Heat shock protein level was studied by gel electrophoresis and Western blotting using monoclonal antibodies. Results: He-Ne laser treatment does not induce heat shock protein synthesis in human desmodontal nor in mouse fibroblasts at the energy densities used in this study. Conclusion: These results indicate that the treatment is not stressful at the cellular level. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.