830 nm photobiomodulation therapy promotes engraftment of human umbilical cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells

Human umbilical cord blood (hUCB)-derived hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are an important source for HSCs in allogeneic HSC transplantation, but a limited number and a low efficacy of engraftment greatly restrict their clinical use. Here, we report the ability of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) to significantly enhance the engraftment efficacy of hUCB HSCs and progenitor cells (HSPCs). hUCB CD34+ cells were illuminated at a fluence of 2 J/cm2 with a near-infrared light (830 nm) transmitted by an array of light-emitting diodes (LED) prior to infusion of NOD/SCID-IL2Rγ−/− mice. The pre-treatment resulted in a threefold higher of the mean percentage of human CD45+ cells in the periphery of the mice compared to sham-treated CD34+ cells. The enhanced engraftment may result from a PBMT-mediated increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and Src protein phosphorylation in CD34+ cells. The two events were causally related as suggested by the finding that elevation of ROS by hydrogen peroxide increased Src phosphorylation, while ROS reduction by N-acetyl cysteine partially reversed the phosphorylation. The investigation demonstrates that PBMT can promote engraftment of hUCB HPSCs, at least in part, via ROS-mediated Src signaling pathway. PBMT can be potentially a safe, convenient, and cost-effective modality to improve hematological reconstitution in patients.