Pulsed Electromagnetic Field with Temozolomide Can Elicit an Epigenetic Pro-apoptotic Effect on Glioblastoma T98G Cells

Abstract

Treatment with pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) is emerging as an interesting therapeutic option for patients with cancer. The literature has demonstrated that low-frequency/low-energy electromagnetic fields do not cause predictable effects on DNA; however, they can epigenetically act on gene expression. The aim of the present work was to study a possible epigenetic effect of a PEMF, mediated by miRNAs, on a human glioblastoma cell line (T98G). We tested a PEMF (maximum magnetic induction, 2 mT; frequency, 75 Hz) that has been demonstrated to induce autophagy in glioblastoma cells. In particular, we studied the effect of PEMF on the expression of genes involved in cancer progression and a promising synergistic effect with temozolomide, a frequently used drug to treat glioblastoma multiforme. We found that electromagnetic stimulation in combination with temozolomide can elicit an epigenetic pro-apoptotic effect in the chemo- and radioresistant T98G glioblastoma cell line.

Fifty-Hertz Magnetic Field Affects the Epigenetic Modulation of the miR-34b/c in Neuronal Cells

“…miR-34 is a miRNA family emerging from recent radiobiology studies, mainly as responsive to conventional tumor radiotherapy [79], thus suggesting that it could represent a key checkpoint controlling different downstream pathways in response to both ionizing and non-ionizing radiations through epigenetic control. Moreover, the ability of ELF-MFs to affect the cellular epigenetic layout is coming out in different experimental models, mainly in terms of microRNAs expression change [58,60,61,[80][81][82]. Together with previous findings, our in vitro data can help shading light on a new set of pathways underlying the biological effects of non-ionizing radiations and their potential impact on human health.…”

“…Besides oxidative stress, the aetiopathogenesis of the neurodegenerative diseases, including PD, recently encountered the involvement of the epigenetic machinery, in terms of altered DNA methylation pattern and histone modifications, as well as dysregulated microRNA expression, mainly including miR-133, miR-7 and miR-34b/c [16-26, 30, 31]. The epigenetic level of gene expression control specifically tunes the neuronal response to different environmental stressors, including ionizing radiations and ELF-MFs [55][56][57][58][59][60][61]. Based on this evidence, we here assessed the expression level of some PD-related microRNAs and demonstrated that 50-Hz MFs strongly decrease the expression of both miR-34b and miR-34c mature molecules in proliferating SH-SY5H and post-mitotic neuronal cells.…”

Progressive Study on the Non-thermal Effects of Magnetic Field Therapy in Oncology

“…A combination with the SMF (8.8 m T, 12 h) decreased the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in K562 cancer cells, while adriamycin itself induced an increase (28). PMF (2 mT, 75 Hz, 1 h/day) coupled with temozolomide could slow down the proliferation of chemo-and radio-resistant T98G glioblastoma cell line by epigenetically affecting the regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressors (100). The LF-MF (10 mT, 100 Hz, 144 h) promoted the sensitization of human glioblastomata, namely U87 and T98G, to temozolomide, which led to an increased apoptosis rate, with the evidence of increasing the expression of p53 and Bax and decreasing the expression of Bcl-2 and cyclin D1 (54).…”

Calculation of the Earth’s Magnetic Field Distortion Caused by the Ferromagnetic Parts in Bed and its Effects on Health

“…These positive biological effects, which can be described as an electromagnetic modulation of the cellular and tissue functions, have been obtained at extremely low frequencies and very low magnetic fields. In the in vitro experience, in order to enhance the biological effects, a similar electromagnetic wave with a frequency of about 75 Hz (instead of the 50 Hz or 60 Hz of the electric devices), with a magnitude of the magnetic field equal to circa 3 mT, can be used (Cornacchione, 2016, Pasi, 2016. The electromagnetic stimulation is delivered by means of the so-called "electromagnetic bioreactor", which is composed of two solenoids, carrying a given current, preset by the user.…”