Photobiomodulation therapy associated with treadmill training in the oxidative stress in a collagen-induced arthritis model

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by chronic and systemic inflammation, which leads to the destruction of the cartilage and bone and affects tissues in multiple joints. Oxidative stress has been implicated with regards to involvement in various disease conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and neurodegenerative, respiratory, cardiovascular, and RA diseases. In vivo experimental studies using photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) have shown positive effects in reducing lipid peroxidation and in increasing antioxidant activity. The regular practice of physical exercise has also been reported to be a beneficial treatment capable of reducing oxidative damage. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of photobiomodulation therapy at 2- and 4-J doses associated with physical exercise on oxidative stress in an experimental model of RA in protein expression involving superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and/or catalase (CAT) on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). In this study, 24 male Wistar rats divided into four groups were submitted to an RA model (i.e., collagen-induced arthritis, CIA), with the first immunization performed at the base of the tail on days 0 and 7 were included. After 28 days, a third intraarticular dose was administered in both knees of the animals. After the last induction, PBMT was started immediately, transcutaneously at two points (i.e., the medial and lateral), with a total of 15 applications. Treadmill exercise was also started the day after the last induction, and lasted for 5 weeks. With respect to results, we obtained the decreases in the lipid peroxidation and the increases of the antioxidant activities of SOD, GPX and CAT, with physical exercise associated to PBMT in doses of 2 and 4 J. In conclusion, physical exercise associated with PBMT decreases lipid peroxidation and increases antioxidant activity.