Effect of ultraviolet light in combination with ozone and hyperthermia on apoptosis induction in human peripheral blood lymphocytes

AIM:To study the effect of ultraviolet light in combination with ozone and hyperthermia on the apoptosis rate in human peripheral blood lymphocytes and to explore its mechanism in treatment of inflammatory-immune diseases. METHODS: Wright-Giemsa stain smear microscopy, DNA gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry analysis were used to detect the respective and combined apoptosis rates of ultraviolet light, ozone and hyperthermia in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. RESULTS: The induced lymphocytes showed typical morphological changes of apoptosis and DNA typical ladder type line spectrum. Each apoptosis situation was quantitatively determined by flow cytometry. After ultraviolet irradiation for 10, 20 and 30 min, the apoptosis rates were, respectively, 12.03%, 16.98% and 26.58%. After the high temperature at 40, 42.5 and 45℃ for 20 min, the apoptosis rates were, respectively, 15.9%, 26.83% and 39.88%. After ultraviolet irradiation and the high temperature, the apoptosis rate was 54.5%. After ultraviolet irradiation combined with hyperthermia and ozone, the highest apoptosis rate reached up to 76.2%. CONCLUSION: Lymphocyte apoptosis rates induced by ultraviolet light combined with ozone and hyperthermia increase significantly. Apoptosis rates of lymphocytes increase in a dose and time-dependent fashion within a certain range and reach the highest point after ultraviolet irradiation combined with hyperthermia at 42.5 C and ozone concentrations on 29 μg/ml for 20 min.