title: Millimeter wave treatment inhibits the mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis pathway in chondrocytes.
abstract: Millimeter wave (MW) is an electromagnetic wave with a wavelength between 1 and 10 mm and a frequency of 30-300 GHz that causes multiple biological effects, both locally and globally. MW has been widely used in clinical medicine. Although our previous work demonstrated that MW is capable of inhibiting sodium nitroprussiate (SNP)-induced apoptosis in chondrocytes, the precise mechanism of the anti-apoptotic activity remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of MW in SNP-induced apoptotic chondrocytes. Sprague Dawley rat chondrocytes were isolated and cultured, and the cells were counted. Cell viability was evaluated using MTT assay. Cells were then treated with SNP and MW, and flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis. Our results showed that MW treatment inhibited a SNP-induced mitochondrion-dependent pathway of apoptosis. MW treatment inhibited the loss of plasma membrane asymmetry (externalization of phosphatidylserine), collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Taken together, the results indicate that MW inhibits the mitochondrion-dependent pathway of apoptosis in chondrocytes and this may, in part, explain its clinical effect in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
authors: Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shangjie Minhou, Fuzhou 350108, P.R. China.
authors: Guangwen
authors: G
authors: Wu
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Sferra
authors: Xuzheng
authors: X
authors: Chen
authors: Youqin
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: Mingxia
authors: M
authors: Wu
authors: Huifeng
authors: H
authors: Xu
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Peng
authors: Xianxiang
authors: X
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D011827:Radiation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D009599:Nitroprusside; D045304:Cytochromes c; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9