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arXiv · 1810.06255

Specific low frequency electromagnetic fields induce epigenetic and functional changes in U937 cells

Giulia Pinton·Angelo Ferraro·Massimo Balma·Laura Moro
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Abstract

In this study, we investigated the effects of specific low frequency electromagnetic fields sequences on U937 cells, an in vitro model of human monocyte/macrophage differentiation. U937 cells were exposed to electromagnetic stimulation by means of the SyntheXer system using two similar sequences, XR-BC31 and XR-BC31/F. Each sequence was a time series of twenty-nine wave segments. Here, we report that exposure (4 days, once a day) of U937 cells to the XR-BC31 setting, but not to the XR-BC31/F, resulted in increased expression of the histone demethylase KDM6B along with a global reduction in histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) tri-methylation. Furthermore, exposure to the XR-BC31 sequence induced differentiation of U937 cells towards a macrophage-like phenotype displaying a KDM6B dependent increase in expression and secretion of the anti-inflammatory interleukins (ILs), IL-10 and IL-4. Importantly, all the observed changes were highly dependent on the sequence's nature. Our results open a new way of interpretation for the effects of low frequency electromagnetic fields observed in vivo. Indeed, it is conceivable that a specific low frequency electromagnetic fields treatment may cause changes in chromatin accessibility and consequently in the expression of anti-inflammatory mediators and in cell differentiation.

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Giulia Pinton, Angelo Ferraro, Massimo Balma, Laura Moro. 2018-10-15. Specific low frequency electromagnetic fields induce epigenetic and functional changes in U937 cells. https://arxiv.org/abs/1810.06255

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