Effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields on human osteoblastlike cells (MG-63): a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Although pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) are used to treat delayed unions and nonunions, their mechanisms of action are not completely clear. However, PEMFs are known to affect the expression of certain genes.


OBJECTIVE
We asked (1) whether PEMFs affect gene expression in human osteoblastlike cells (MG63) in vitro, and (2) whether and to what extent stimulation by PEMFs induce cell proliferation and differentiation in MG-63 cultures.


METHODS
We cultured two groups of MG63 cells. One group was treated with PEMFs for 18 hours whereas the second was maintained in the same culture condition without PEMFs (control). Gene expression was evaluated throughout cDNA microarray analysis containing 19,000 genes spanning a substantial fraction of the human genome.


RESULTS
PEMFs induced the upregulation of important genes related to bone formation (HOXA10, AKT1), genes at the transductional level (CALM1, P2RX7), genes for cytoskeletal components (FN1, VCL), and collagenous (COL1A2) and noncollagenous (SPARC) matrix components. However, PEMF induced downregulation of genes related to the degradation of extracellular matrix (MMP-11, DUSP4).


CONCLUSIONS
PEMFs appear to induce cell proliferation and differentiation. Furthermore, PEMFs promote extracellular matrix production and mineralization while decreasing matrix degradation and absorption. Our data suggest specific mechanisms of the observed clinical effect of PEMFs, and thus specific approaches for use in regenerative medicine.
Sollazzo
Vincenzo
V
Istituto di Clinica Ortopedica Università di Ferrara, Corso Giovecca 203, 44100 Ferrara, Italy. slv@unife.it
Palmieri
Annalisa
A
Pezzetti
Furio
F
Massari
Leo
L
Carinci
Francesco
F
D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000528:radiation effects; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000528:radiation effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects
Biomaterials. 2004 Jan;25(2):215-28
14585709
J Orthop Res. 1996 Jul;14(4):582-9
8764867
Bioelectromagnetics. 1997;18(8):541-7
9383242
Calcif Tissue Int. 1999 Nov;65(5):396-401
10541767
PLoS One. 2007 Oct 24;2(10):e1058
17957242
Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1989 Dec;(249):209-18
2582669
Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1994 Sep;(306):213-21
8070199
FASEB J. 1992 Jun;6(9):2667-74
1612290
J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2004 Nov 15;71(2):260-7
15389490
Trends Cell Biol. 2006 Sep;16(9):453-60
16893648
Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1990 Jul;15(7):708-12
2218718
J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2001 Oct;83(10):1514-23
11679602
J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1981 Apr;63(4):511-23
7217117
Circ Res. 2007 Nov 26;101(11):1130-8
17901362
Matrix Biol. 1996 Nov;15(5):313-20; discussion 321
8981327
Pharmacogenet Genomics. 2007 Jul;17(7):555-67
17558311
Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2004 Feb;(419):30-7
15021128
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1982 Jul;79(13):4180-4
6287472
Mol Cell Biol. 2007 May;27(9):3337-52
17325044
J Orthop Res. 2000 Jul;18(4):637-46
11052501
Med Res Rev. 2007 Jul;27(4):528-52
16710861
Bioelectromagnetics. 1999 Oct;20(7):453-8
10495311
Cells Tissues Organs. 2009;189(1-4):70-4
18765931
Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. 2002 Nov;9(6):1153-9
12414743
J Bone Miner Res. 1995 May;10(5):812-9
7639117
Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1993 Mar;(288):246-53
8458140
Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2009 Feb;17(2):252-62
18640059
J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1990 May;72(3):347-55
2187877
Bioelectromagnetics. 1999;20(3):177-82
10194560
J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2007 Oct;89 Suppl 3:152-61
17908881
Clin Oral Implants Res. 2004 Apr;15(2):180-6
15008929
J Biol Chem. 2008 Mar 7;283(10):6241-52
18178562
J Periodontol. 2004 Jan;75(1):66-83
15025218
Arthritis Res Ther. 2005;7(4):160-9
15987500
Bone. 2006 Sep;39(3):505-12
16679075
J Bone Miner Res. 1989 Apr;4(2):227-33
2728926
J Biol Chem. 2005 Oct 21;280(42):35417-23
16091368
J Histochem Cytochem. 1999 Dec;47(12):1495-506
10567433
Int Rev Cytol. 1995;158:279-338
7721540
Br J Pharmacol. 2002 May;136(1):57-66
11976268
Cancer Inform. 2007 Feb 04;3:11-7
19455231
Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2004 Apr;277(2):262-71
15052653
Tissue Eng. 2006 Jul;12(7):1985-99
16889527
J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2003 Jul 15;66(1):341-6
12808593
J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2006 Nov;88 Suppl 3:56-60
17079368
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Apr 24;98(9):5116-21
11309499
Eur J Biochem. 1994 Oct 1;225(1):71-82
7925473
Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2003 Jun;11(6):455-62
12801485