Pulsed electromagnetic fields simultaneously induce osteogenesis and upregulate transcription of bone morphogenic proteins 2 and 4 in rat osteoblasts in vitro

Bodamyali, T., Bhatt, B., Hughes, F.J., Winrow, V.R., Kanczler, J.M., Simon, B., Abbott, J., Blake, D.R. and Stevens, C.R. (1998) Pulsed electromagnetic fields simultaneously induce osteogenesis and upregulate transcription of bone morphogenic proteins 2 and 4 in rat osteoblasts in vitro. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 250 (2), 458-461. (doi:10.1006/bbrc.1998.9243).

Abstract

Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) are successfully employed in the treatment of a variety of orthopaedic conditions, particularly delayed and nonunion fractures. In this study, we examined PEMF effects onin vitroosteogenesis by bone nodule formation and on mRNA expression of bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 4 by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in cultured rat calvarial osteoblasts. PEMF exposure induced a significant increase in both the number (39% over unexposed controls) and size (70% larger compared to unexposed controls) of bone-like nodules formed. PEMF also induced an increase in the levels of BMP-2 and BMP-4 mRNA in comparison to controls. This effect was directly related to the duration of PEMF exposure. This study shows that clinically applied PEMF have a reproducible osteogenic effectin vitroand simultaneously induce BMP-2 and -4 mRNA transcription. This supports the concept that the two effects are related.

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Contributors

Author: J.M. Kanczler

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