Blue light irradiation inhibits the growth of colon cancer and activation of cancer‑associated fibroblasts

Irradiation with a specific wavelength of light using light‑emitting diodes (LEDs) has various effects on cells and organisms. Recently, the antitumor effects of visible blue light on tumor cells were reported; however, the mechanism and effects on the tumor microenvironment remain unclear. Human colon cancer cells (HCT‑116) were injected into the rectal wall of nude mice. Tumors were irradiated with a 465‑nm LED light at 30 mW/cm2 for 30 min. Tumor volumes and the expression levels of opsin 3 (Opn3), autophagy‑related factors, cancer‑associated fibroblast (CAF) markers, and programmed cell death 1‑ligand (PD‑L1) were measured. Additionally, human intestinal fibroblasts were cultured in HCT116‑conditioned medium (CM) to prepare CAFs. CAFs were divided into an LED group and a control group, and the effect of the LED light on CAF activation in colon cancer cells was examined. Irradiation with blue LED light suppressed tumor growth; Opn3 expression was localized to the cell membrane in the LED group. Irradiated tumors exhibited increased autophagy‑related gene expression. Furthermore, in the LED group, TGF‑β and α‑SMA expression levels in the fibroblasts were decreased. Regarding CAFs, α‑SMA and IL‑6 expression levels were decreased in the LED group. HCT‑116 cells cultured in CAF‑CM with LED irradiation showed no enhanced migration or invasion. In the HCT‑116 cells cultured in CM of CAFs irradiated with LED, the relative increase in PD‑L1 expression was lower than that noted in the CAF‑CM without LED irradiation. Blue LED light may have a direct antitumor effect on colon cancer and also an inhibitory effect on CAFs.

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