Background: Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was originally used for treating superficial skin tumors. The application of PDT to other inflammatory dermatoses like acne vulgaris, psoriasis, granuloma annulare, localized scleroderma and lichen sclerosus has recently been introduced. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We've previously reported the induction of tumor growth factor (TGF)-β(1) and interleukin (IL)-10 after PDT with ALA and intense pulsed light (IPL) in cultured HaCaT cells.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the expressions of TGF-β(1) and IL-10 in cultured fibroblasts after PDT with using ALA and IPL.
Methods: Cultured fibroblasts were treated with ALA-IPL PDT (1µmol/L of ALA; 0, 4, 8 and 12 J/cm(2) of IPL). The expressions of TGF-β(1) and IL-10 were investigated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: TGF-β(1) mRNA and protein were reduced down to 0.52- and 0.63-fold, respectively, after PDT and the IL-10 protein was increased up to 2.74-fold after PDT.
Conclusion: The reduction of TGF-β(1) was prominent after PDT and so an antisclerotic effect can be expected after PDT. The induction of IL-10 may contribute to the anti-inflammatory effect, which explains the therapeutic benefit of PDT for inflammatory dermatoses.
Keywords: Aminolevulinic acid; Fibroblasts; IL-10; Photodynamic therapy; TGF-β1.