PubMed
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2008 Jan 17

Far Infrared Therapy Inhibits Vascular Endothelial Inflammation via the Induction of Heme Oxygenase-1.

Lin CC, Liu XM, Peyton K, Wang H, Yang WC, Lin SJ, Durante

W. Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; the Division of Nephrology and the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; the Department of Pharmacology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa; and the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Mo.

OBJECTIVE: Survival of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) in hemodialysis patients is associated with both far infrared (FIR) therapy and length polymorphisms of the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) promoter. In this study, we evaluated whether there is an interaction between FIR radiation and HO-1 in regulating vascular inflammation.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Treatment of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECs) with FIR radiation stimulated HO-1 protein, mRNA, and promoter activity. HO-1 induction was dependent on the activation of the antioxidant responsive element/NF-E2-related factor-2 complex, and was likely a consequence of heat stress. FIR radiation also inhibited tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-mediated expression of E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin-8, and the cytokine-mediated adhesion of monocytes to ECs. The antiinflammatory action of FIR was mimicked by bilirubin, and was reversed by the HO inhibitor, tin protoporphyrin-IX, or by the selective knockdown of HO-1. Finally, the antiinflammatory effect of FIR was also observed in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that FIR therapy exerts a potent antiinflammatory effect via the induction of HO-1. The ability of FIR therapy to inhibit inflammation may play a critical role in preserving blood flow and patency of AVFs in hemodialysis patients.

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