title: In vitro exposure of human osteoarthritic chondrocytes to ELF fields and new therapeutic application of musically modulated electromagnetic fields: biological evidence.
abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most frequently occurring rheumatic disease, caused by metabolic changes in chondrocytes, the cells that maintain cartilage. Treatment with electromagnetic fields (MF) produces benefits in patients affected by this pathology. Isolated human osteoarthritic (OA) chondrocytes were cultured in vitro under standard conditions or stimulated with IL-1beta or IGF-1, to mimic the imbalance between chondroformation and chondroresorption processes observed in OA cartilage in vivo. The cells were exposed for a specific time to extremely low frequency (ELF; 100-Hz) electromagnetic fields and to the Therapeutic Application of Musically Modulated Electromagnetic Fields (TAMMEF), which are characterized by variable frequencies, intensities, and waveforms. Using flow cytometry, we tested the effects of the different types of exposure on chondrocyte metabolism. The exposure of the cells to both systems enhances cell proliferation, does not generate reactive oxygen species, does not cause glutathione depletion or changes in mitochondrial transmembrane potential and does not induce apoptosis. This study presents scientific support to the fact that MF could influence OA chondrocytes from different points of view (viability, ROS production and apoptosis). We can conclude that both ELF and TAMMEF systems could be recommended for OA therapy and represent a valid non-pharmacological approach to the treatment of this pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrine-Metabolic Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Siena, Italy. Vannoni@unisi.it
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vannoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albanese
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Battisti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aceto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giglioni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corallo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carta
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fioravanti
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giordano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000494:pharmacology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D055909:Magnetic Field Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D005978:Glutathione