Effects of Combined Blue light and 5-ALA on cell death in B16F1 melanoma and HaCaT cells

Abstract

Abstract Investigating the effect of blue light and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) co-treatment, this study examined its effects on B16F1 melanoma cells and HaCaT keratinocytes. Our focus was on cellular responses including mitochondrial function, DNA integrity, and gene expression. Co-treatment significantly damaged mitochondria, alters their morphology, induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization, increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and led to cardiolipin peroxidation in both cell types. This approach also increased DNA fragmentation and apoptosis. Notably, it triggers complex, time-dependent changes in gene expression, particularly upregulating MMP-1 and p21 in HaCaT cells. Our findings reveal that blue light and 5-ALA co-treatment causes substantial cellular stress and damage, suggesting its therapeutic potential against melanoma, while also highlighting the need for caution and precision in its application to avoid harming normal cells. This underscores the necessity for further research to refine therapeutic approaches.