Cadossi, Ruggero

Caruso, Angelo

Caruso, Gaetano

De Mattei, Monica

Masieri, Federica

Nardo, Daniela

Ongaro, Alessia

Pellati, Agnese

Setti, Stefania

Firenze University Press: E-Journals

IJAE Vol. 115, n. 1/2 (Supplement), 2010
130
Chondroprotective effects of low-frequency low-
energy pulsed electromagnetic fields on human 
cartilage explants
Alessia Ongaro1, Agnese Pellati1, Federica Masieri1, Angelo Caruso1, Stefania Setti2, Ruggero Cados-
si2, Gaetano Caruso3, Daniela Nardo4, Monica De Mattei1 
1 Department of Morphology and Embriology, University of Ferrara, Italy 
2 Laboratory of Clinical Biophysics, IGEA Carpi, Modena, Italy
3 Department of Biomedical Sciences and Advanced Therapies, University of Ferrara, Italy
4 Department of Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy 
Objective To investigate the effects of low-frequency low-energy pulsed electro-
magnetic fields (PEMFs) on proteoglycans (PG) metabolism [1-2] of human articular 
cartilage explants derived from patients with different osteoarthritis (OA) grades in the 
presence and in the absence of anabolic and catabolic stimuli for cartilage.
Design Human knee cartilage explants derived from lateral and medial femoral 
condyles of OA patients were exposed to PEMF (1.5 mT; 75 Hz) for 1 and 7 days with 
and without insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) (50 ng/ml) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) 
(0.01-50ng/ml). Histological analysis was used to classify cartilage according to the 
score developed by the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS). PG synthesis was 
determined by 35S-sulfate incorporation. PG release into culture media was determined 
by the dimethylmethylene blue assay.
Results By histological evaluation, cartilage explants derived from lateral and me-
dial condyles were classified as OA ICRS grade I and III, respectively. After 7 days treat-
ment, in OA grade I cartilage explants, PEMF and IGF-I alone significantly increased 
35S-sulfate incorporation respect to control and counteracted the effect induced by IL-1β 
(0.01 ng/ml) of 26% and 24% respectively. The combination of PEMF and IGF-I resulted 
additive in all conditions. Similar results were obtained in OA grade III cartilage, al-
though basal 35S-sulfate incorporation was lower than in OA grade I. No effect was ob-
served on medium PG release.
Conclusions PEMF exerts chondroprotective effects on human articular cartilage. 
The biological responsiveness of chondrocyte to PEMF was similar in different OA 
grades cartilage, suggesting that human chondrocytes maintain susceptibility to PEMF 
during OA progression.
References
[1] De Mattei M et al. (2004) Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 12:793-800. 
[2] De Mattei M et al. (2003) Connect Tissue Res. 44:154-9.
Key words
Human cartilage, pulsed electromagnetic fields, proteoglycan metabolism, osteoarthritis


Chondroprotective effects of low-frequency lowenergy pulsed electromagnetic fields on human cartilage explants

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Chondroprotective effects of low-frequency lowenergy pulsed electromagnetic fields on human cartilage explants

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