Compared with the levels in the HC group (0.53 ± 0.07), our data showed that caspase-3 levels were upregulated in the laser group on days 14 (0.74 ± 0.16) (P = 0.014) and 22 (0.73 ± 0.15) (P = 0.016), whereas no significant difference was found in the infection and itraconazole groups, indicating that apoptosis was also activated by laser irradiation in vivo (Fig. 9G and H). The gene discussed is CASP3; the disease is infection.