Effect of photobiomodulation and antioxidant therapies on cellular, tissue, molecular and biochemical events in dystrophic muscle fibers of mdx mice

Administration of glucocorticoids is currently the standard pharmacological treatment prescribed for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Due to its side effects, the search for alternative therapies that minimize the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life of dystrophic patients is necessary. In this context, we raise the hypothesis that the combination of photobiomodulation and antioxidant therapies may have a potential beneficial effect on cellular, tissue, molecular and biochemical events in dystrophic muscle fiber. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze “in vitro” and “in vivo” the effects of combined LED and Idebenone therapy on dystrophic muscle fibers in mdx mice, an experimental model of DMD. Treatment with LEDT and Idebenone showed potential beneficial effects on dystrophic muscle fiber, mainly modulating signaling pathways correlated to calcium, mitochondria, oxidative stress, inflammatory process, myogenesis and autophagy. Furthermore, joint treatment of LEDT with the antioxidant Idebenone showed better results, for example, in terms of modulation of sarcolipin, OXPHOS and Sirt-1, than when applied separately. Therefore, the results suggest that LEDT and Idebenone attenuate the dystrophic phenotype, and may constitute a potential complementary therapeutic strategy for muscular dystrophies.