title: Exposure to low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields increases mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation in Down's syndrome.
abstract: We previously reported that exposure of human mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) to extremely low frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) could restore the defective proliferative capability of PBL from aged subjects. The effects of exposure to PEMFs were studied in PBL from 25 patients with Down's syndrome (DS), a syndrome of premature aging characterized by precocious immune system derangement, including age-related defective PBL proliferative capability. PBL were stimulated with different doses of phytohemagglutinin, and cell proliferation was assessed by measuring the incorporation of tritiated thymidine. After PEMF-exposure, a significant increase in cell proliferation was observed in cells from DS children and young adults, but it was much more evident in PBL from relatively aged DS patients. The age-related effect of PEMFs on DS lymphocytes demonstrates that age must be considered a major variable when studies on DS are performed, and confirms that DS must be regarded as a syndrome of accelerated aging.
authors.affiliation: Institute of General Pathology, University of Modena School of Medicine, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cossarizza
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Scarfi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanotti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cadossi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franceschi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007223:Infant; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000276:immunology; D011371:Progeria / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D010835:Phytohemagglutinins