Academic Journal

Effects and underlying mechanisms of repeated low-level red light on refractive development in Guinea pigs with different refractive states.

Λεπτομέρειες βιβλιογραφικής εγγραφής
Τίτλος: Effects and underlying mechanisms of repeated low-level red light on refractive development in Guinea pigs with different refractive states.
Συγγραφείς: Liu T; Tianjin Eye Hospital Affiliated to Nankai University, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300020, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, 300020, China., Li Z; Tianjin Eye Hospital Affiliated to Nankai University, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300020, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, 300020, China., Liu Q; School of Medicine, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300020, China., Han Y; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, 300020, China; Clinical College of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300020, China., He S; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, 300020, China; Clinical College of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300020, China., Chun K; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, 300020, China., Yam JCS; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China., Li X; Tianjin Eye Hospital Affiliated to Nankai University, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300020, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, 300020, China. Electronic address: 15942046916@163.com., Zhang W; Tianjin Eye Hospital Affiliated to Nankai University, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300020, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, 300020, China; Clinical College of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300020, China. Electronic address: Zhangwei3066@126.com.
Πηγή: Experimental eye research [Exp Eye Res] 2026 Nov; Vol. 272, pp. 111201. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Aug 12.
Τύπος έκδοσης: Journal Article
Γλώσσα: English
Στοιχεία περιοδικού: Publisher: Academic Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0370707 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1096-0007 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00144835 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Exp Eye Res Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: London : Academic Press
Original Publication: London.
Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): Refraction, Ocular*/physiology , Refraction, Ocular*/radiation effects , Myopia*/physiopathology , Hyperopia*/physiopathology , Red Light*, Axial Length, Eye/radiation effects ; Choroid/radiation effects ; Choroid/pathology ; Cornea/radiation effects ; Animals ; Guinea Pigs ; Disease Models, Animal ; Disease Progression ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Male
Περίληψη: Purpose: To investigate the regulatory effects of repeated low-level red light (RLRL) on refractive development in guinea pigs with different refractive states and to explore the underlying mechanisms.
Methods: Two-week-old tricolored short-haired guinea pigs were used. Myopia progression was induced by continuously wearing a -10.00 D negative lens on the right eye, whereas hyperopia progression was induced by wearing a +5.00 D positive lens. For the myopia recovery model, the negative lens was removed after myopia induction. After successful modeling, animals were randomly assigned to corresponding RLRL intervention groups or control groups. The RLRL groups received daily irradiation with red light at a central wavelength of 644.9 nm, three times a day, 2 min per session. Refraction, axial length, choroidal thickness, OCTA-derived choroidal flow signal, and corneal curvature radius were measured at 0, 1, 2, and 4 weeks after intervention. In addition, choroidal tissues from guinea pigs in the myopia progression and hyperopia progression models were collected 2 days after RLRL intervention for transcriptome sequencing, and RT-qPCR was performed to validate selected differentially expressed genes. For phenotypic analyses, five guinea pigs per subgroup were included in the final analysis. For transcriptomic analysis, six guinea pigs per group were used.
Results: In the myopia progression model, RLRL attenuated the myopic refractive shift (group-by-time interaction, P < 0.001) and was associated with greater choroidal thickness and higher OCTA-derived choroidal flow signal at selected time points, while axial length was transiently shorter only at week 2 (P = 0.041). In the hyperopia progression model, RLRL promoted the shift toward emmetropia (group-by-time interaction, P = 0.006), with lower hyperopic refraction at weeks 2 and 4 (both P < 0.05). Although axial length was greater at individual time points, the group-by-time interaction was not significant (P = 0.092); RLRL was also associated with a thinner choroid at week 4 (P = 0.013) and lower OCTA-derived choroidal flow signal at selected time points. In the myopia recovery model, RLRL accelerated refractive recovery (group-by-time interaction, P = 0.010), with a transiently shorter axial length at week 2 (P < 0.001) and higher OCTA-derived choroidal flow signal at weeks 2 and 4 (P = 0.003 and P = 0.019). Transcriptomic analysis identified 113 and 733 differentially expressed genes in the myopia and hyperopia progression RLRL models, respectively. Exploratory pathway analysis suggested possible inflammation-related choroidal response under myopic conditions and melanin metabolism- and extracellular matrix remodeling-related changes under hyperopic conditions. RT-qPCR confirmed downregulation of RGS1 in the myopia progression model (P = 0.007) and upregulation of TYRP1 and DCT in the hyperopia progression model (P = 0.007 and P = 0.033, respectively).
Conclusions: RLRL exerted refractive state-dependent effects on ocular growth in guinea pigs, attenuating myopic progression under myopic conditions and promoting refractive emmetropization under hyperopic conditions. Transcriptomic analyses further suggested that these effects may be associated with refractive state-dependent changes in the choroidal microenvironment, with inflammation-related responses mainly observed under myopic conditions and melanin metabolism-related changes mainly observed under hyperopic conditions.
(Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interests The authors declare no competing interests.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Choroid; Hyperopia; Myopia; Repeated low-level red light; Transcriptome
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260811 Date Completed: 20261007 Latest Revision: 20261007
Update Code: 20261008
DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2026.111201
PMID: 42580577
Βάση Δεδομένων: MEDLINE