Optical system, illumination and therapeutic device for improving denaturation aging and metabolic function of biomolecular protein

Abstract

To improve aging caused by racemization of L-amino acid residues in biomolecular proteins and to restore the effect of improving metabolic function, which was lost in LED illumination.SOLUTION: By irradiating biomolecular proteins with right-handed circularly polarized light 4, denatured D-amino acid 3 is promoted to convert into normal L-amino acid 2, thereby improving body function through protein normalization. Furthermore, the effect of improving metabolic function, which was lost in LED illumination for higher energy efficiency, is restored by reintroducing near-infrared and infrared light.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This invention relates to the inhibition and improvement of aging through racemization of amino acid residues in proteins, and to the improvement of metabolic function through the addition of near-infrared and infrared light that is excluded by LED lighting. [Background technology]

[0002] As the phrase "the light of civilization" suggests, lighting is a symbol of civilization. Torches and candles have been used for a long time since ancient times, but in modern times, with the invention of incandescent light bulbs, lighting has evolved into fluorescent lights and LED lighting.

[0003] It is well known that the incandescent light bulb was invented in 1879 by T. Edison (hereafter, titles omitted) as a long-lasting, practical bulb, and has since become widely used around the world. The principle is that an electric current is passed through a heat-resistant conductive material such as W to heat it up, and the visible light component of the radiant heat is used for lighting. The emission spectrum is expressed by Planck's radiation law. Even if W, one of the best heat-resistant metals, is used, the temperature is at most about 3000K, and a wide emission spectrum with a peak at a wavelength of about 1μm is produced. The visible light emission efficiency is about 10%, and about 70% is near-infrared and infrared light. In addition, rare gases and halogen gases are enclosed to extend the life of the bulb, but the life is only about 1000 to 2000 hours at most.

[0004] Fluorescent lamps were invented by T. Edison in 1901. The principle is that mercury vapor in a rare gas causes a gas discharge to emit ultraviolet light, which causes a fluorescent material to emit light. They are superior to incandescent bulbs in that they can produce lighting with a variety of color temperatures by adjusting the mixing ratio of red, green, and blue phosphors. Fluorescent lamps were the first to achieve lighting with a color temperature of 5000K daylight white and 6500K daylight. They also have a wide range of color temperatures, from 4200 to 6500K, more than twice the luminous efficiency of visible light, and a lifespan of 6000 to 12000 hours, several times longer. The amount of near-infrared and infrared light emitted is about 30% of the input energy, and about 0.5% of ultraviolet light leaks out.

[0005] LED is an abbreviation for Light-Emitting Diode. Its principle is to recombine electrons in the conduction band and holes in the valence band at the pn junction of a direct transition semiconductor, resulting in the emission of light with band gap energy. The emission width is approximately the phonon width, about 20 to 40 nm, which is extremely narrow compared to the blackbody radiation spectrum, which is why the realization of LED lighting had to wait until the realization of blue LEDs, which emit high-energy light with a short wavelength.

[0006] If a blue LED could be created, white light could be achieved through exciting a phosphor with the blue light to produce yellow light, which is the complementary color of blue, making LED lighting possible. However, historically, LEDs were put into practical use in the order of red, green, and blue.

[0007] The red LED was invented by N. Holonyak in 1962. The initial semiconductor material was Ga(As,P), but it has now been replaced by (Al,In,Ga)P to increase output and remove the toxic As.

[0008] Green LEDs were invented by G. Craford in 1972. The semiconductor material is GaP, which is an indirect semiconductor, and its luminous efficiency is lower than that of red and blue LEDs. Human visual sensitivity peaks at a wavelength of 500 nm, and although green is an important light-emitting element in terms of the brightness of light-emitting devices, it currently faces the issue of low luminous efficiency. This is called the "green gap problem."

[0009] Blue LEDs were put to practical use by Shuji Nakamura in 1993. The semiconductor material is GaN, (In,Ga)N, which is a direct transition type and has high luminous efficiency.

[0010] LED lighting is classified into three types according to the white color generation method: pseudo-white LED, high color rendering white LED, and three-color LED. Pseudo-white LED is a highly efficient method of generating white light by combining a blue LED with a yellow phosphor, which is the complementary color of blue. High color rendering white LED is a method that uses a blue LED and red and green phosphors. It also includes a method that uses near-ultraviolet and ultraviolet LEDs and red, green, and blue phosphors. Compared to pseudo-white LED, it has a high spectrum in green and an emission spectrum close to sunlight, so it has high color rendering, but generally has lower luminous efficiency than pseudo-white LED. The three-color LED method is a method that generates white light using three primary color LEDs, red, green, and blue, and has the advantage of being able to generate any color in real time, but it is less efficient than other methods because the luminous efficiency of green LED is currently about half that of red and blue LEDs. In addition, there is an issue that the spectrum width is narrow when only LEDs are used, and the color rendering is low because the emission spectrum of yellow and cyan is low.

[0011] To summarize the characteristics of LED lighting, the color temperature is 2700-15000K, and the luminous efficiency of visible light is about 40-60%, which is overwhelmingly more efficient than conventional lighting. The lifespan is also about 40,000-6000 hours, several dozen times longer than incandescent bulbs. In addition, LED lighting emits almost no light other than visible light, such as near-infrared, infrared, and ultraviolet light, which is another reason why LED lighting is so efficient.

[0012] Here, we will explain about sunlight. Color rendering is the performance of how close the color produced by natural light is when lighting is shone on an object, and the standard is sunlight during the day, so sunlight is important when considering lighting. When sunlight reaches the ground, it is affected by absorption by gas molecules and scattering by fine particles, so the spectrum is different from sunlight in space.

[0013] Sunlight in space is expressed as blackbody radiation with a color temperature of 5800K, and has a wide emission spectrum with a wavelength peak of 500nm, extending from the ultraviolet range to wavelengths of 3μm or more. The luminous efficiency of visible light is about 43%, near-infrared and infrared light is about 49%, and ultraviolet light is about 8%. Here, since the sun generates heat through thermonuclear fusion, it also emits elementary particles such as neutrons, neutrinos, and mesons in addition to electromagnetic waves, but these can be ignored as they account for less than 1% of the total. The sun's lifespan is one billion years, which is about 9 trillion hours in terms of time, assuming that humans can live on Earth.

[0014] Even if we exclude clouds that block sunlight before it reaches the ground, absorption and scattering by gas molecules and fine particles reduces the emission spectrum to a degree that cannot be ignored. Among gas molecules, O2, O3, and H2O have absorption peaks in the ultraviolet to infrared range and affect the sunlight spectrum. Nitrogen molecules absorb light on the short wavelength side of these, but their effect is barely visible at the tail of the sunlight spectrum.

[0015] Scattering by gas molecules or particles smaller than the wavelength of light is called Rayleigh scattering, and is inversely proportional to the fourth power of the wavelength. Therefore, blue light with a wavelength of 450 nm is scattered by red light with a wavelength of 700 nm. TIFF2025065588000002.tif8165Sunlight appears yellowish with less blue. At sunrise and sunset, when the angle of incidence of the sun is large, the distance that sunlight travels through the air is longer. This varies depending on latitude and season, but it is about 10 to 20 times longer. As a result, short-wavelength light such as blue is sufficiently scattered, and orange and red light become dominant. Mie scattering occurs when the particle size is about the same as the wavelength, and it is this scattering that makes clouds appear white.

[0016] The performance and characteristics of the sun, which is the standard light source, and each type of lighting are summarized in Table 1.

[0017] [Table 1]

[0018] Lighting fixtures have been commercialized from incandescent bulbs, to fluorescent lamps, to LEDs, and have been improved in all respects, including color temperature, visible light luminous efficiency, and lifespan. On the other hand, the amount of near-infrared and infrared light that is not necessary for lighting has decreased, and has been reduced to almost zero in LED lighting.

[0019] However, sunlight also contains near-infrared and infrared light that accounts for about 50% of its total energy, and it has become clear that the near-infrared and infrared light eliminated by LED lighting also has utility.

[0020] Plants have photoreceptors at wavelengths of 730±40 nm, and have the function of regulating germination and elongation. This is called photomorphogenesis, and since near-infrared light can penetrate seeds, the embryo inside the seed can sense the near-infrared light and germinate. In addition, moderate ultraviolet light increases the thickness of leaves, promotes pigment formation, and has the effect of making plants stronger. In other words, light other than visible light that LED lighting has eliminated is also important for plant growth. Patent document 1 is an example in which a 700-900 nm LED is equipped in addition to a visible light LED, and R, B, and NIR light are irradiated in pulses to promote plant growth.

[0021] There are reports that some bacteria can be sterilized not only by ultraviolet light but also by infrared light, but many reports seem to be based on simple low-temperature sterilization (Non-Patent Document 1, Non-Patent Document 2). Non-Patent Document 3 describes a technology for preserving the freshness of fruits and vegetables by irradiating them with near-infrared (NIR) light. For example, an 800 nm NIR LED is used to sterilize strawberries at 300 W / m 2 The growth of mold is prevented by irradiating the surface with sunlight for one second. The energy density on the ground when sunlight is irradiated vertically on a clear day is 1000W / m 2 Therefore, the temperature rise caused by the NIR light LED is not so great, and it is believed that the sterilization of mold fungi is realized by the irradiation of NIR light. Patent Document 2 shows an example of sterilization using a purple LED with a wavelength of 400 to 450 nm and a NIR LED with a wavelength of 800 to 1000 nm. 20 to 70 W / m 2It has been confirmed that six hours of exposure to this light killed 99% of common bacterial strains such as E. coli, as well as Salmonella enterica and Staphylococcus aureus. Patent Document 2 describes the combined use of the dehydrating effect of heat generated by NIR and the bactericidal effect of short-wavelength purple light, and does not intend to have a bactericidal effect from NIR irradiation. In fact, it is reasonable to think that purple light has a stronger bactericidal effect.

[0022] It is known that near-infrared and infrared light penetrate the human body better than visible light. While infrared light penetrates the skin only about 1 cm deep, near-infrared light can penetrate several centimeters deep, and is therefore used in in vivo imaging (Non-Patent Document 4).

[0023] Near-infrared and infrared light have the effect of warming the body, and if the optimum activation temperature of most human enzymes can be raised to 36-38°C when body temperature is low, vital activities such as metabolism will improve. In addition, normal immune cells such as NK cells also have an optimum activation temperature of 36-38°C, so immune function can also be strengthened. Therefore, when the extremities of the hands and feet become lower than the appropriate body temperature during winter, warming them with near-infrared light irradiation is considered to be one effective method.

[0024] As described above, near-infrared light, which is thought to be unnecessary for lighting, is biologically useful light and should be added to LED lighting.

[0025] In addition, the blue component in the spectrum of LED lighting is stronger than that of conventional lighting, and Non-Patent Document 5 points out that blue light not only causes eye aging but also skin aging. Therefore, it is considered necessary to find a way to improve the adverse effects of blue light on the human body. Non-Patent Document 5 also points out that blue light generates active oxygen in the body, and an important countermeasure is to take in sufficient antioxidants such as vitamin C (Non-Patent Document 13).

[0026] To explain aging, the body of a living organism is composed of proteins, and life activities are carried out by exerting various physical functions of proteins, such as mechanical properties and optical properties. In recent years, it has become recognized that aging is in part a result of the breakdown of homochirality of the amino acids that compose proteins (Non-Patent Document 6).

[0027] As pointed out in Non-Patent Document 6, normal amino acids in proteins are left-handed (L-type), but aging is considered to be a state in which normal L-amino acids are denatured to right-handed (D-type) and racemized, causing a disturbance in the clean amino acid sequence of normal proteins, making it impossible to maintain physical properties such as mechanical and optical properties, and making it impossible for the body to function normally. Such a breakdown in the homochirality of amino acids has been confirmed in various age-related diseases such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and skin sclerosis.

[0028] Non-Patent Document 6 reveals that cataract is a disease in which the L-aspartic acid in the lens of the eye undergoes racemization due to D-denaturation, causing the clear arrangement of amino acids to be disrupted and resulting in opacification. According to Non-Patent Document 6, racemization of L-aspartic acid has already begun even in children's lenses, and the inventor believes that normalization of amino acids in the lens is an important issue even for young people, and that blue light also has a gradual, long-term adverse effect on the human body.

[0029] As described above, it would be simple if L-amino acids were always normal in the body, but this appears to be limited to proteins, and dextroamino acids exist in the body as free amino acids and peptides with lower molecular weights than proteins, and are used in hormones, neurotransmitters, enzymes, etc. (Non-Patent Documents 7 and 8). The presence of the serine R (dextro) gene has been confirmed in animal genes, and D-serine, D-aspartic acid, and D-glutamic acid have been confirmed in the human brain and elsewhere.

[0030] Non-Patent Document 6 describes Alzheimer's disease and arteriosclerosis as aging diseases caused by racemization of amino acids, but this is not accurate. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) in the brain, and approaches from the perspective of genetic abnormalities are mainstream. In dominantly inherited familial Alzheimer's disease, Aβ production and accumulation occur due to abnormalities in the APP gene. On the other hand, symptoms of genetic abnormalities are also observed in sporadic Alzheimer's disease patients, which is thought to be due to intracellular transport disorders of Aβ (Non-Patent Document 9). In addition, racemization of Aβ in Alzheimer's disease has also been reported, and there is a possibility that racemization promotes aggregation and accumulation (Patent Document 10). Taking into account the presence of D-amino acids such as D-aspartic acid in the human brain as mentioned above, comprehensive research into Alzheimer's disease is necessary.

[0031] Arteriosclerosis is a disease in which cholesterol and other lipids accumulate in arteries, hardening them and narrowing the inside of blood vessels, causing blood flow obstruction (Non-Patent Document 11). Blood vessels may also harden due to calcium deposition in the blood vessels. Non-Patent Document 12 examines blood vessel racemization due to aging, but does not examine the blood vessels of arteriosclerosis patients, so this is insufficient.

[0032] In summary, the inventor believes that measures at the cellular level are important for improving photoaging caused by blue light, and that maintaining the homochirality of amino acid residues in proteins is an important issue when considering maintaining bodily functions. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0033] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6264151 [Patent Document 2] JP 2023-169130 A [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 5343193 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 5951190 [Patent Document 5] Patent No. 5973944 [Non-patent literature]

[0034] [Non-Patent Document 1] Nikkankan, vol. 12, p. 5 (1997). [Non-Patent Document 2] Journal of the Japanese Society of Agricultural Machinery, Vol. 65, p. 64 (2003). [Non-Patent Document 3] Shikoku Electric Power, Shikoku Research Institute Research Report 104, p. 19 (June 2016). [Non-Patent Document 4] Bunseki, vol. 3, pp. 114 (2019). [Non-Patent Document 5] Photodermatol.Photoimmunol.Photomed., Volume 0, Page 1 (2021). [Non-Patent Document 6] Journal of the Japanese Society for Cataract Research, Vol. 29, p. 13 (2017). [Non-Patent Document 7] Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry, vol. 33, pp. 68 (2016). [Non-Patent Document 8] Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry, Vol. 28, p. 308 (2011). [Non-Patent Document 9] Dementia Japan, Vol. 29, p. 460 (2015). [Non-Patent Document 10] Tohoku J. Exp. Med., vol. 174, pp. 251 (1994). [Non-Patent Document 11] Journal of the Japan Medical Association, Vol. 13, p. 199 (2017). [Non-Patent Document 12] Atherosclerosis, 97, 201 (1992). [Non-Patent Document 13] Free Radical Biology & Medicine, vol. 108, p. 300 (2007). [Non-Patent Document 14] Limnol. Oceanography, vol. 2, p. 360 (1957). [Non-Patent Document 15] Photochem. Photobiol., vol. 64, p. 356 (1996). [Non-Patent Document 16] J.Am.Chem.Soc., vol. 99, p. 3622 (1977). [Non-Patent Document 17] Astrobiol., vol. 23, pp. 1019 (2023). [Non-Patent Document 18] Polymer Chem., vol. 6, pp. 1627 (2015). Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0035] The objective of this invention is to add near-infrared and infrared light, which is useful to living organisms but is excluded from LED lighting, to LED lighting, and to maintain the homochirality of amino acids, particularly aspartic acid, in the proteins that make up the body in order to improve the decline in physical functions that occurs with aging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0036] The inventors focused on the relationship between circularly polarized light (CPL) and living organisms as a measure against photoaging. Note that circularly polarized luminescence is also confusingly similar to CPL (Circular Polarized Luminescence), so care must be taken.

[0037] Sugars synthesized by living organisms are D-type, and as shown in Non-Patent Document 14, Patent Document 3, and Patent Document 4, right-handed circularly polarized light (R-CPL) is important for photosynthesis and plant growth. Patent Documents 3 and 4 show that plants grow sufficiently with R-CPL, whereas left-handed circularly polarized light (L-CPL) inhibits growth and even reduces body weight, suggesting that chlorophyll photosynthesis has a high CPL rotation selectivity. In fact, Patent Document 15 shows that chlorophyll a shows strong circular dichroism (CD), supporting the strong absorption of R-CPL.

[0038] Circular dichroism is explained by the Cotton effect. When the Cotton effect is positive, the optical properties are as shown in Figure 1. For the absorption spectrum shown in Figure 1, the refractive index difference Δn=n L -n R The dispersion of the absorption peak has a positive value at the longer wavelength and a negative value at the shorter wavelength. Also, the absorption difference Δε=ε L -ε R For , the Cotton effect is positive, which indicates that the molecule is more likely to absorb L-CPL. The wavelength dependence of Δn and Δε is directly linked to the polarimeter's optical rotation dispersion curve (ORD spectrum) and circular dichroism spectrum (CD spectrum), respectively. When the Cotton effect is negative, the optical properties are as shown in Figure 2, and the positive and negative signs of Δn and Δε are reversed. The dispersion of Δn is negative at the long wavelength of the absorption peak and positive at the short wavelength, and the absorption difference Δε is negative, which indicates that the molecule is more likely to absorb R-CPL. In correspondence with the Cahn-Ingold-Prelog (CIP) law, the Cotton effect of the S type is positive, and that of the R type is negative. In correspondence with the general notation of amino acids and glucose, with very few exceptions, the L type corresponds to the S type and the D type to the R type.

[0039] Therefore, chlorophyll a has a negative Cotton effect, that is, R-type. It is also known that the enantiomer chlorophyll a' exists in small amounts (less than 1%) and is in equilibrium with chlorophyll a, but since photosynthesis mainly uses R-CPL, it is clear that it exists as chlorophyll a in living organisms.

[0040] Here, as shown in Non-Patent Document 6, there is a problem as to why L-aspartic acid is more likely to racemize among amino acids. The switching between D-type and L-type amino acids is realized by exciting to a planar transition state and switching functional groups (mainly hydrogen) up and down the plane. Simply put, it would seem that low molecular weight amino acids such as alanine with side chain R -CH3 and serine with -CH2OH are more likely to racemize, but no such reports could be found. The inventor believes that this is due to the pH inside the body where proteins exist. The pH of the human blood, cell fluid, and eye lens is 7 to 7.5, which is weakly alkaline, and only aspartic acid and glutamic acid, which have acidic carboxyl groups in the side chains of the amino acid residues of proteins, can ionize and have a huge dipole moment. It is thought that this interacts with the electric field of light to make them more likely to be excited. Considering this, it is possible that electromagnetic fields may also facilitate aging through protein racemization, and conversely, in acidic areas such as the epidermis with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5, aspartic acid residues in proteins are less likely to racemize, while basic L-lysine and L-arginine residues may be more likely to racemize. Also, amino acids in a free (isolated) state are not peptide-bonded, so they have amino and carboxyl groups and are likely to racemize in an electromagnetic field, including light, due to their large dipole moment in acidic and alkaline solutions (excluding glycine, which has no isomers).

[0041] The pentasaccharides in the sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA and RNA are 2-deoxy-D-ribose and D-ribose, respectively, which have optical isomerism, but the inventor believes that photoaging due to racemization is unlikely to occur. Each molecule has two or three asymmetric carbons, but the switch between D type and L type requires simultaneous exchange of functional groups at these asymmetric carbons, which is thought to be difficult to achieve by photoexcitation.

[0042] Regarding amino acids, Non-Patent Document 16 reports that irradiating racemized leucine with R-CPL at a wavelength of 218 nm decomposes the D-type and makes it L-type rich, and irradiating L-CPL decomposes the L-type and makes it D-type rich, indicating the possibility of homochiralization of amino acids by CPL. In other words, photoaging is the racemization of L-type amino acid residues in proteins by unpolarized light, and homochiralization of L-type amino acids by CPL irradiation indicates the possibility of aging prevention and improvement (rejuvenation).

[0043] This homochiralization of amino acids by CPL irradiation has been expanded to the hypothesis that CPL radiation of Lyman alpha lines occurs in the Milky Way, causing amino acids to acquire L-type homochirality in this galaxy, and that this is how the amino acids in the proteins of living organisms on Earth come to have L-type homochirality (Non-Patent Document 17).

[0044] Here, we analytically solve the transition (photoaging) of L-amino acids due to exposure to a certain amount of light. L and R are the abundance ratios of amino acids, and the probabilities per unit time that L and R transition to R and L, respectively, upon exposure to light are α and β. The initial condition is (L,R)=(1,0) at time t=0. The linear differential equation is expressed as Equation 1.

[0045]

number

[0046] When the characteristic equation is solved, the eigenvalues ​​become λ = 0, -(α + β), and the steady state at λ = 0 is the eigensolution L = (β / α)R. From the initial conditions, the optical transition of L-amino acids is expressed by Equation 2.

[0047]

number

[0048] When unpolarized light is irradiated, complete racemization occurs with (L,R)=(0.5,0.5) at α=β. On the other hand, when β>α, L=β / (α+β)>0.5 can be maintained and racemization can be improved. Considering the Cotton effect, L-amino acids have a high absorption rate of L-CPL in the visible light range, so photoaging can be improved by irradiating R-CPL and right-handed circularly polarized light. From the perspective of normal amino acids, this results in a delay in the progression of aging, and from the perspective of a completely racemized state (L=R=0.5), it is possible to improve aging. Therefore, there is a possibility that a recovery effect can be expected for cataractous lenses with severe racemization. In summary, R-CPL is easily absorbed by D-amino acids and enters a transition state, which promotes the return to normal L-amino acids and suppresses and improves photoaging caused by racemization (Figure 3).

[0049] Table 2 summarizes the specific rotations of 19 L-amino acids that are optically isomeric with chlorophyll a as listed in ChemicalBook (https: / / www.chemicalBook.com) as of December 12, 2024. The solution concentrations and solvents are also listed as measurement conditions.

[0050] [Table 2]

[0051] From Table 2, we can see that the specific rotation of chlorophyll a, that is, the difference in the rotation direction of the CPL absorption coefficient, is 10 times larger than that of normal amino acids (proline and hydroxyproline are exceptions because they are special cases in which the amino group is bonded to the side chain). Compared to amino acids with low specific rotation such as valine and leucine, aspartic acid has a value of about 10 times, which is large among amino acids, and although the extent of this is currently unknown, it is hoped that it will suppress and improve the photoaging of L-amino acids. If this model is correct, it will be possible to estimate the rotation direction ratio of the CPL absorption coefficient using Equation 2. In addition, since the value inside the cell is important, we believe that in the future it will be necessary to determine the specific rotation of amino acids in a pH buffer solution of about pH 7.2 to 7.5.

[0052] Furthermore, Non-Patent Document 18 shows the possibility of not only improving the racemization (photoaging) of amino acids but also of complete photorejuvenation. It shows that the direction of rotation of the helical molecule depends not only on the direction of rotation of the CPL but also on the energy (wavelength) of the photon, as high-energy L-CPL and low-energy R-CPL induce an L-handed helical molecular state, and high-energy R-CPL and low-energy L-CPL induce an R-handed helical molecular state. If this can be applied to L-amino acids, photorejuvenation will be possible.

[0053] If Non-Patent Document 18 is applied directly to amino acids, visible light including blue light becomes low-energy light, making it possible to L-convert amino acids using R-CPL, and it may be possible to rejuvenate amino acids in the same rotation direction as in the previous model.

[0054] The inventor initially attempted to explain the principle of Non-Patent Document 18 by stating that photons are elementary particles with a spin of 1 in quantum mechanics, L-CPL photons have a spin of +1 in the z-axis direction, and R-CPL photons have a spin of -1 with respect to the z-axis, but this was unsuccessful. Conversely, this can be explained by a transition model due to light absorption using Equations 1 and 2. In other words, the substance of Non-Patent Document 18 can be well explained by considering that the Cotton effect differs between the high-energy and low-energy sides, resulting in the isomers after light irradiation being reversed depending on the energy (wavelength) of light irradiation. However, if this is correct as a principle, perfect photorejuvenation cannot be expected.

[0055] Another problem is that chlorophyll a does not racemize even when exposed to light, and photosynthesis can continue in R-CPL. This is thought to be because it is an extremely excellent light conversion system that uses the received light energy for its original purpose of photosynthesis, rather than for transitions into optical isomers.

[0056] Finally, as mentioned above, D-amino acids such as D-serine, D-aspartic acid, and D-glutamic acid are used in the body in the form of isolated substances, low molecular weight peptides, and enzymes for the synthesis of neurotransmitters, hormones, and proteins, so it is necessary that the D-amino acids are weak enough to prevent the L-conversion of L-amino acids within a few milliseconds of neurotransmission to a few days, which is the life span of the enzyme. In other words, it is also important to point out that ideally, the improvement rate should be such that the improvement in homochirality of L-amino acids can be observed over a period of one month to one year or more. In addition, for the treatment of diseases caused by racemization of amino acids, such as cataracts, an improvement rate several times faster than that is desirable. Effect of the Invention

[0057] By converting the visible light that hits the human body into right-handed circularly polarized light (R-CPL), it is possible to suppress and improve the racemization (photoaging) of L-amino acid residues in proteins, especially L-aspartic acid residues. In addition, by incorporating near-infrared and infrared light, which is necessary for living organisms and has been rejected by LED lighting, it is possible to irradiate the light to the inside of the human body and improve metabolic functions such as immune function. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0058] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows the absorption, Δn, and Δε spectra for the Cotton effect. [Diagram 2] Figure 2 shows the absorption, Δn, and Δε spectra for the Cotton effect. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 illustrates the principle of the present invention for inhibiting and ameliorating the denaturation of L-amino acids. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram of an optical system that uses a polarizing plate and a λ / 4 retardation plate to generate right-handed circularly polarized light (R-CPL), which is effective in preventing photoaging. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment in which light from a light source (LED) is converted into a CPL with high efficiency. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0059] FIG. 4 shows an optical system frequently seen in the first embodiment, in which the linearly polarized light 9 extracted from the incident light 7 by the polarizing plate 5 is converted into the outgoing light 8 of right-handed circularly polarized light (R-CPL) 10 by the λ / 4 retardation plate 6. This is applied to window glass in buildings and mobility, displays such as TVs, monitors, and smartphones, and glasses such as sunglasses and OA glasses. In the case of LCDs, since a linear filter is already present on the front, it is only necessary to place the λ / 4 retardation plate 6. Currently, circular light emission (CPL) by chiral substances is being researched, and if the effects of the present invention are fully demonstrated and recognized by the public, it is expected that research into CPL will be accelerated even more vigorously. In addition, although circular polarization is used in displays, it seems to be mainly used for spatial transmission. In addition, if both rotations are used in a method in which circularly polarized light directly reaches the eye, there is a risk that L-CPL will accelerate eye aging.

[0060] The second embodiment is a highly efficient circularly polarized light source as shown in FIG. 5. A polarizing beam splitter (PBS) 12 and a λ / 4 retardation plate 13 are arranged in front of a light source 11 such as an LED. A λ / 4 retardation plate 14 and a mirror 15 are arranged in this order so as to face the opposite side of the PBS 12 from the λ / 4 retardation plate 13. The light source 11 is generally located between the PBS 12 and the λ / 4 retardation plate 14, but it may be shifted toward the mirror 14. In addition, the optical axis of the light source 11 is tilted so that the reflected light from the PBS 12 of the light source 11 is not reflected back to the light source 11 as much as possible. Various types of PBS 12 can be used, but a multilayer optical film (MOF) or a multilayer dielectric thin film type is preferable in terms of cost and simplicity. It goes without saying that the optical components described as plates can be in the form of films.

[0061] In operation, light emitted from light source 11 that passes through PBS 12 passes through λ / 4 phase difference plate 13 and is converted into circularly polarized light 16. The light that is totally reflected by PBS 12 travels back and forth through λ / 4 phase difference plate 14 by mirror 15, causing the polarization direction to rotate by 90° and enabling it to pass through PBS 12, resulting in it being converted into circularly polarized light 17 with the same rotation state as circularly polarized light 16. As a result, although there will be some small losses, the light is converted into circularly polarized light with approximately 100% conversion efficiency.

[0062] If the second embodiment shown in Fig. 5 is used as an R-CPL lighting, lighting that suppresses and improves photoaging of the eyes and skin with the same luminous efficiency as normal LED lighting can be realized. Also, a diffusion plate may be provided below the λ / 4 retardation plate 13 in the embodiment of Fig. 5, or a polarizing plate may be provided between the PBS 12 and the λ / 4 retardation plate 13. Also, the second embodiment uses a single expensive PBS 12 and emits light from only one side, making it suitable for indoor lighting, and in that respect it is superior to Patent Document 5.

[0063] The third embodiment is an embodiment in which the second embodiment is incorporated into a device such as a projector in which reflected light is viewed. Since the rotation direction of the CPL reflected light is opposite to that of the CPL incident light, an L-CPL is emitted from the device.

[0064] The fourth example is a lighting that adds near-infrared light to the second example. LED lighting is highly energy efficient because it emits only visible light, but adding near-infrared light that is useful to living organisms makes it a healthier lighting. In this case, the visible light and near-infrared output are controlled separately. In summer, the near-infrared light is turned off or the output is weakened, and it is used to heat the extremities that have become lower than the ideal body temperature of 36 to 37 degrees Celsius in winter. However, care must be taken because if the output is too strong, the body temperature, such as the head, may rise too high. Regarding the conversion of near-infrared light to CPL, detailed consideration is required on the direction of rotation and the degree of effect, because near-infrared light is between the absorption wavelengths of ultraviolet light and infrared light.

[0065] The fifth embodiment is a device that improves and treats diseases caused by the racemization of L-amino acids, especially L-aspartic acid, in proteins, such as cataracts, by applying the second embodiment. In normal lighting applications, the intensity is adjusted to be sufficiently low so as not to interfere with the D-amino acids functioning in the body, but in treatment devices, the intensity is increased to the limit. If near-infrared and infrared rays are used, the light can reach deeper inside the body than visible light, but the CD spectrum in this region is unknown and detailed investigation is required. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1 mirror surface 2. L-Amino Acids 3 R-amino acids 4 Right-handed circular polarization (R-CPL) 5. Polarizing Plate 6 λ / 4 retardation plate 7 Incident light 8. Emitted Light 9 Linearly polarized light 10 Right-handed circularly polarized light (R-CPL) 11 Light source (LED, etc.) 12 Polarizing Beam Splitter (PBS) 13 λ / 4 retardation plate 14 λ / 4 retardation plate 15. Mirror 16 Circularly polarized light (CPL) converted by direct transmission through PBS 17 Circularly polarized light reflected off the PBS and then reflected off a mirror

Claims

1. An optical system characterized by irradiating a living body with right-handed circularly polarized light.

2. 2. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the right-handed circularly polarized light is generated by passing incident light through a polarizing plate and a .lambda. / 4 phase difference plate.

3. 3. A window pane, eyeglasses, or display device incorporating the optical system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. 2. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein a first optical system including a polarizing beam splitter plate and a λ / 4 phase difference plate and a second optical system including a mirror and a λ / 4 phase difference plate are arranged to face each other, A light source and lighting device characterized in that the light from the light source is irradiated onto a polarizing beam splitter and separated by polarization, thereby irradiating a living body with right-handed circularly polarized light.

5. 5. A light source and lighting device according to claim 1 or 4, further comprising near-infrared and infrared light.

6. A therapeutic device according to claims 1, 4 or 5, which improves racemization of amino acid residues in proteins in the living body.

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