Neurological morphofunctional differentiation induced by REAC technology in PC12. A neuro protective model for Parkinson's disease.

Margherita Maioli,Valentina Basoli,Gianfranco Pigliaru,Pier Andrea Serra,Alessandro Castagna,Sara Santaniello,Carlo Ventura,Gaia Rocchitta,Salvatore Rinaldi,Rossana Migheli,Vania Fontani

doi:10.1038/srep10439

Abstract

Research for the use of physical means, in order to induce cell differentiation for new therapeutic strategies, is one of the most interesting challenges in the field of regenerative medicine, and then in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson’s disease (PD) included. The aim of this work is to verify the effect of the radio electric asymmetric conveyer (REAC) technology on the PC12 rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cell line, as they display metabolic features of PD. PC12 cells were cultured with a REAC regenerative tissue optimization treatment (TO-RGN) for a period ranging between 24 and 192 hours. Gene expression analysis of specific neurogenic genes, as neurogenin-1, beta3-tubulin and Nerve growth factor, together with the immunostaining analysis of the specific neuronal protein beta3-tubulin and tyrosine hydroxylase, shows that the number of cells committed toward the neurogenic phenotype was significantly higher in REAC treated cultures, as compared to control untreated cells. Moreover, MTT and Trypan blue proliferation assays highlighted that cell proliferation was significantly reduced in REAC TO-RGN treated cells. These results open new perspectives in neurodegenerative diseases treatment, particularly in PD. Further studies will be needed to better address the therapeutic potential of the REAC technology.

Highlights

Previous studies, conducted using the radio electric asymmetric conveyor (REAC) technology, have shown that this technology is able to induce neurogenic cell differentiation both in cultures of murine embryonic cells[1] and in differentiated human cells, such as fibroblasts[2] and adipocytes[3]
Despite the cell culture studies proposed in this manuscript are not conclusive for Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatment and further studies are required in animal models of Parkinsonism[10,11], the obtained data are suggestive of an enhancement of DA biosynthesis and availability
We have demonstrated that PC12 radio electric asymmetric conveyer (REAC) tissue optimization (TO)-regenerative treatments (RGN) exposure primes cell commitment toward a neurogenic phenotype and induce the appearance of neuron-like cells

Summary

Introduction

Previous studies, conducted using the radio electric asymmetric conveyor (REAC) technology, have shown that this technology is able to induce neurogenic cell differentiation both in cultures of murine embryonic cells[1] and in differentiated human cells, such as fibroblasts[2] and adipocytes[3]. The REAC technology has been shown to effectively counteract cell aging[4,5,6], a process often related to neurodegenerative diseases as Parkinson’s disease (PD). To better dissect and understand the potential of the REAC treatments in PD, we chose a PC 12 cellular model. This model was widely used to study neuron functions and to understand the physiology of central dopamine (DA) neurons.

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Conclusion