Review maps light-based strategies for reshaping cellular and immune responses

A review concludes that light-based therapies can modulate cellular activity, inflammatory pathways and immune-cell behavior, offering minimally invasive approaches for treating several diseases. The analysis, published in Archives of Dermatological Research, examines ultraviolet A, B and C radiation, established ultraviolet B and psoralen–ultraviolet A treatment formats, and the possible complementarity of phototherapy and immunotherapy. It is a review of therapeutic applications and mechanisms rather than a report of a new clinical trial.

Phototherapy uses specific wavelengths of light to influence biological responses. Ultraviolet radiation is an important component of many phototherapeutic applications, while broad-band ultraviolet B, narrowband ultraviolet B and psoralen–ultraviolet A are identified as major ultraviolet-based modalities. The review reports that ultraviolet radiation can affect immune-cell activity, cytokine production and inflammatory pathways. These immunomodulatory effects provide the basis for examining photoimmunotherapy, in which phototherapy is combined with immunotherapy so that the approaches may enhance each other’s advantages while minimizing their respective disadvantages.

Ultraviolet B exposure also supports vitamin D3 synthesis, a process associated with maintenance of calcium homeostasis. The review further describes roles for vitamin D3 in DNA repair and modulation of immune responses after ultraviolet exposure. Together, these observations illustrate why phototherapy is considered a way of adjusting biological responses rather than merely applying light. The authors also discuss treatment parameters, complications and risks, emphasizing that phototherapy carries potential hazards that can be managed with appropriate clinical supervision and medication.

The applications covered by the review include cancers, skin correction, neonatal jaundice and dermatological diseases such as atopic dermatitis and vitiligo. Its overall assessment is that phototherapy has developed into a promising minimally invasive means of modulating cellular responses across biomedical fields, while photoimmunotherapy may extend the approach by combining light-based treatment with immune-directed therapy. The review’s scope is broad, but its conclusions summarize established applications and proposed directions rather than demonstrating a uniform treatment effect across all conditions and modalities. Future research is described as a route toward more precise therapies and expanded clinical applications.

Subject of Research: Review of phototherapy and photoimmunotherapy for cellular and immune modulation

Article Title: Phototherapy and photoimmunotherapy: emerging strategies for modulating cellular responses in biomedical applications

Article References: Suresh, N. K., Selvan Christyraj, J. D., Raja, S., Rajagopalan, K., Sivakumar, S. R., Selvan Christyraj, J. R. S., Dhanasekar, L., & Tejaram, K. (2026). Phototherapy and photoimmunotherapy: emerging strategies for modulating cellular responses in biomedical applications. Archives of Dermatological Research, 318(1), Article 532. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-026-04965-1

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s00403-026-04965-1

Keywords: phototherapy, photoimmunotherapy, ultraviolet radiation, UVB, UVA, immune modulation, immunotherapy, vitamin D3, inflammatory pathways, clinical applications, emerging, strategies