Ultrasonic therapy modulates the expression of genes related to neovascularization and inflammation in fibroblasts

Priscila Daniele De Oliveira Perrucini,Rodrigo Franco De Oliveira,Deise Aparecida De Almeida Pires-Oliveira,Flavia Beltrão Pires De Medeiros,Regina Célia Poli Frederico,Larissa Dragonetti Bertin

doi:10.1590/fm.2021.34112

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: In the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries, ultrasound is widely used in clinical practice. Objective: To evaluate the effects of pulsed ultrasonic therapy on the viability and modulation of genes involved in inflammation (IL-6) and neovascularization (VEGF) processes of L929 fibroblast cells. Methods: For irradiation with ultrasound the cells were subdivided into groups: G1 (without irradiation), G2 (0.3 W/cm2-20%) and G3 (0.6 W/cm2-20%), with periods of treatment at 24, 48 and 72 hours. The cell viability assay was analyzed by the MTT method and gene modulation was analyzed by RT-qPCR method. Results: After the comparative analysis between groups, only G2 and G3 (48-hour) presented statistically significant differences in relation to the control. In relation to the gene expression, the selection of the groups analyzed was delimited according to the comparative analysis of the values obtained by the MTT test. After the achievement of RT-qPCR, it could be observed that in G2 the amount of VEGF gene transcripts increased by 1.125-fold compared to endogenous controls, and increased 1.388-fold in G3. The IL-6 gene, on the other hand, had its transcripts reduced in both G2 (5.64x10-9) and G3 (1.91x10-6). Conclusion: Pulsed ultrasound in L929 fibroblasts showed a significant biostimulatory effect in the 48-hour period, with increased cell viability, and the same effect in the modulation of gene expression related the neovascularization and inflammation, mediating the acceleration of the tissue repair cascade.

Highlights

In the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries, ultrasound is widely used in clinical practice
Clinical practice still adopts a multiplicity of dosimetries, i.e. there is no standardized consensus on the optimal dose response, but there is a gap in the literature between the therapeutic tool, the appropriate dosimetry and the desired cell biomodulation.[7,8,9]
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of low and medium intensity pulsed ultrasonic therapy on the viability and modulation of genes involved in inflammation (IL-6) and neovascularization (VEGF) processes of L929 fibroblast cells

Summary

Introduction

In the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries, ultrasound is widely used in clinical practice. Since 1952, after its implantation by the American Council of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, its relation with osteomyoarticular injuries has been a constant target of study.[7,8] clinical practice still adopts a multiplicity of dosimetries, i.e. there is no standardized consensus on the optimal dose response, but there is a gap in the literature between the therapeutic tool, the appropriate dosimetry and the desired cell biomodulation.[7,8,9] This feature has thermal properties (continuous wave) and non-thermal (pulsed wave),[10,11] but the predominance of one or the other is linked to the parameters used in the treatment, since both cannot be completely segmented.[10,12]. The activation of fibroblast cells, which is fundamental, because they are present in most tissues and organs of the body,[15] because they are precursors of collagen and highly metabolic.[12,13,14,15]

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