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Photobiomodulation of the microbiome: implications for metabolic and inflammatory diseases

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Abstract

The human microbiome is intimately associated with human health, with a role in obesity, metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, and divergent diseases such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. The microbiome can be changed by diet, probiotics, and faecal transplants, which has flow-on effects to health outcomes. Photobiomodulation has a therapeutic effect on inflammation and neurological disorders (amongst others) and has been reported to influence metabolic disorders and obesity. The aim of this study was to examine the possibility that PBM could influence the microbiome of mice. Mice had their abdomen irradiated with red (660 nm) or infrared (808 nm) low-level laser, either as single or multiple doses, over a 2-week period. Genomic DNA extracted from faecal pellets was pyrosequenced for the 16S rRNA gene. There was a significant (p < 0.05) difference in microbial diversity between PBM- and sham-treated mice. One genus of bacterium (Allobaculum) significantly increased (p < 0.001) after infrared (but not red light) PBM by day 14. Despite being a preliminary trial with small experimental numbers, we have demonstrated for the first time that PBM can alter microbiome diversity in healthy mice and increase numbers of Allobaculum, a bacterium associated with a healthy microbiome. This change is most probably a result of PBMt affecting the host, which in turn influenced the microbiome. If this is confirmed in humans, the possibility exists for PBMt to be used as an adjunct therapy in treatment of obesity and other lifestyle-related disorders, as well as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. The clinical implications of altering the microbiome using PBM warrants further investigation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Elvis Freeman-Acquah who assisted with the PBM treatments and collection of faeces and Lyudmyla Arshynnikova who translated manuscripts in the Russian language.

Funding

DJ was supported by the Early Career Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australasian Research Institute, Wahroonga, Australia

    Brian Bicknell & Ann Liebert

  2. Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, Australia

    Brian Bicknell

  3. Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia

    Ann Liebert

  4. Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia

    Daniel Johnstone

  5. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, West Ryde, Australia

    Hosen Kiat

  6. School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia

    Hosen Kiat

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  1. Brian Bicknell
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Contributions

BB, AL, and DJ—design and implementation the study; BB and DJ—acquisition of data; BB—analysis and interpretation; BB, AL, and HK—drafting of manuscript; all authors—revision and approval.

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Correspondence to Brian Bicknell.

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Conflict of interest

BB is an agent for Spectro Analytic Irradia AB, the company that manufactures the Irradia laser products supplied for this experiment. The other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics approval

All experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of University of Sydney (Protocol Number: 2017/1128).

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Bicknell, B., Liebert, A., Johnstone, D. et al. Photobiomodulation of the microbiome: implications for metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Lasers Med Sci 34, 317–327 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-018-2594-6

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