Effects Of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields On MSCs

Electromagnetic fields have been employed as useful tools in medical diagnosis. Recently, the use of electromagnetic fields has been expanded to therapeutic purposes because their interactions with living matter produce effects that initiate, accelerate or inhibit biological processes. Frequencies below 300 Hz are known as extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF) and do not have enough energy to break molecular bonds; for example, they do not cause direct damage to DNA. Additionally, ELF-ELF are non-invasive and non-ionizing and even have non-thermal effects on cells and tissues. These properties have led to studies of the influence of ELF-ELF on the development of various diseases, including cancer.Mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) is a group of germ layers with self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capacity of multi-competent cells. MSCs not only have multi-lineage differentiation capacity, but also have a special low immunogenicity and the ability of immunomodulatory. At the same time, extensive and convenient source derived, simply and rapidly in vitro amplification operation and its plasticity makes MSCs have broad application prospects in the clinical treatment.According to our previous research, we found that 7.5Hz,0.4T rotation of the extremely low frequency-electromagnetic fields (ELF) can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and disrupt the cell cycle of tumor cells. In addition, ELF can activate the body’s immune system and increase the number of T-cells, DCs. Therefore ELF has a therapeutic effect on tumor. MSCs have immunomodulatory functions, and thus play an important role in immune regulation process; MSCs are capable of multilineage differentiation potential, so there are more applications of ELF in the treatment of osteoporosis, bone injuries, obesity, type 2 diabetes and other diseases,. Therefore, in this study we attempt to explore the effect of 7.5Hz,0.4T rotation of the extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on human umbilical cord MSCs and the mechanisms for this effect.In this study, we tried to explore the impact of magnetic field on the morphology, cytoskeleton and surface markers of the umbilical cord MSCs. Then we further study the influence of magnetic field on the growth conditions of the umbilical cord MSCs: cell cycle, apoptosis and cell viability. MSCs have immunomodulatory function, we analyzed whether the immune-related cytokines of MSCs secrete have changed after ELF treated; Finally, MSCs have multilineage differentiation capacity, they have the ability to differentiate to the fat and bone marrow. Therefore, we explored whether there are impact of ELF on umbilical cord MSCs differentiation capacity to fat and bone marrow. Eventually we found adipogenic ability of umbilical cord MSCs can be suppressed by 7.5Hz,0.4T electromagnetic field which suggested us that 7.5Hz,0.4T electromagnetic fields have a certain effect for the treatment of obesity, diabetes and other metabolic diseases.1. Effects of ELF on the morphology, growth status and immunomodulatory ability of umbilical cord MSCsWe first observed ELF has no effect on the morphology of umbilical cord MSCs. Then we detected the cytoskeleton has not changed with the immunofluorescence method. Further we found the surface markers, the proportion of cycle and apoptosis of MSCs did not affect by flow cytometry. The cell viability detected by CCK-8 assay kit and the amount of MSCs secrete immune-related cytokines by RT-PCR are not different.2. Effects of ELF on the ability to differentiate into the bone marrow and fat of umbilical cord MSCs and the regulatory mechanismThe MSCs also has multi-differentiation potential. The osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of MSCs is associated with various diseases. By Alizarin Red S and Oil Red O staining we found ELF is able to inhibit the adipogenic differentiation of MSCs. Using RT-PCR, Western blot to detect the expression of the key genes and protein of adipogenic differentiation,we further verified the inhibitory effect of the ELF on adipogenic differentiation of MSCs. Finally, we discuss the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of ELF on MSCs adipogenic differentiation.