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1. Weak magnetic fields modulate superoxide to control planarian regeneration

   https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2022.1086809  

   Kinsey, Luke J.; Van Huizen, Alanna V.; Beane, Wendy S. (January 2023, Frontiers in Physics)

   Reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling regulates cell behaviors and tissue growth in development, regeneration, and cancer. Commonly, ROS are modulated pharmacologically, which while effective comes with potential complications such as off-target effects and lack of drug tolerance. Thus, additional non-invasive therapeutic methods are necessary. Recent advances have highlighted the use of weak magnetic fields (WMFs, <1 mT) as one promising approach. We previously showed that 200 μT WMFs inhibit ROS formation and block planarian regeneration. However, WMF research in different model systems at various field strengths have produced a range of results that do not fit common dose response curves, making it unclear if WMF effects are predictable. Here, we test hypotheses based on spin state theory and the radical pair mechanism, which outlines how magnetic fields can alter the formation of radical pairs by changing electron spin states. This mechanism suggests that across a broad range of field strengths (0–900 μT) some WMF exposures should be able to inhibit while others promote ROS formation in a binary fashion. Our data reveal that WMFs can be used for directed manipulation of stem cell proliferation, differentiation, and tissue growth in predictable ways for both loss and gain of function during regenerative growth. Furthermore, we examine two of the most common ROS signaling effectors, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide, to begin the identification and elucidation of the specific molecular targets by which WMFs affect tissue growth. Together, our data reveal that the cellular effects of WMF exposure are highly dependent on ROS, and we identify superoxide as a specific ROS being modulated. Altogether, these data highlight the possibilities of using WMF exposures to control ROS signaling in vivo and represent an exciting new area of research. 

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2. Weak magnetic fields alter stem cell–mediated growth

   https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau7201  

   Van Huizen, Alanna V.; Morton, Jacob M.; Kinsey, Luke J.; Von Kannon, Donald G.; Saad, Marwa A.; Birkholz, Taylor R.; Czajka, Jordan M.; Cyrus, Julian; Barnes, Frank S.; Beane, Wendy S. (January 2019, Science Advances)

   Biological systems are constantly exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the form of natural geomagnetic fields and EMFs emitted from technology. While strong magnetic fields are known to change chemical reaction rates and free radical concentrations, the debate remains about whether static weak magnetic fields (WMFs; <1 mT) also produce biological effects. Using the planarian regeneration model, we show that WMFs altered stem cell proliferation and subsequent differentiation via changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and downstream heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) expression. These data reveal that on the basis of field strength, WMF exposure can increase or decrease new tissue formation in vivo, suggesting WMFs as a potential therapeutic tool to manipulate mitotic activity. 

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3. Development of Focused Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Rodents by Copper-Array Shields

   https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1109/TMAG.2018.2796098  

   Qinglei Meng, Mitchell Cherry (February 2018, IEEE transactions on magnetics)

   Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is one of the most widely used noninvasive brain stimulation methods. It has been utilized for both treatment and diagnosis of many neural diseases, such as neuropathic pain and loss of function caused by stroke. Existing TMS tools cannot deliver focused electric field to targeted penetration depth even though many important neurological disorders are originated from there. A breakthrough is needed to achieve noninvasive, focused brain stimulation. We demonstrated using magnetic shield to achieve magnetic focusing without sacrificing significant amount of throughput. The shield is composed of multiple layers of copper ring arrays, which utilize induced current to generate counter magnetic fields. We experimentally set up a two-pole stimulator system to verify device simulation. A transient magnetic field probe was used for field measurements. The focusing effect highly depends on the geometric design of shield. A tight focal spot with a diameter of smaller than 5 mm (plotted in MATLAB contour map) can be achieved by using copper ring arrays. With properly designed array structures and ring locations, the combined original and induced counter fields can produce a tightly focused field distribution with enhanced field strength at a depth of 7.5 mm beyond the shield plane, which is sufficient to reach many deep and critical parts of a mouse brain. 

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4. 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid Induces Metabolic Changes and Reduces Staphylococcus aureus Bacterial Cell-to-Cell Interactions

   https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11060781  

   Weaver, Alan J.; Borgogna, Timothy R.; O’Shea-Stone, Galen; Peters, Tami R.; Copié, Valérie; Voyich, Jovanka; Teintze, Martin (June 2022, Antibiotics)

   The rise in bacterial resistance to common antibiotics has raised an increased need for alternative treatment strategies. The natural antibacterial product, 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (GRA) has shown efficacy against community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), although its interactions against planktonic and biofilm modes of growth remain poorly understood. This investigation utilized biochemical and metabolic approaches to further elucidate the effects of GRA on MRSA. Prolonged exposure of planktonic MRSA cell cultures to GRA resulted in increased production of staphyloxanthin, a pigment known to exhibit antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing functions. Then, 1D 1H NMR analyses of intracellular metabolite extracts from MRSA treated with GRA revealed significant changes in intracellular polar metabolite profiles, including increased levels of succinate and citrate, and significant reductions in several amino acids, including branch chain amino acids. These changes reflect the MRSA response to GRA exposure, including potentially altering its membrane composition, which consumes branched chain amino acids and leads to significant energy expenditure. Although GRA itself had no significant effect of biofilm viability, it seems to be an effective biofilm disruptor. This may be related to interference with cell–cell aggregation, as treatment of planktonic MRSA cultures with GRA leads to a significant reduction in micro-aggregation. The dispersive nature of GRA on MRSA biofilms may prove valuable for treatment of such infections and could be used to increase susceptibility to complementary antibiotic therapeutics. 

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5. Operando investigation of the synergistic effect of electric field treatment and copper for bacteria inactivation

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45587-3  

   Jarin, Mourin; Wang, Ting; Xie, Xing (February 2024, Nature Communications)

   Abstract As the overuse of chemicals in our disinfection processes becomes an ever-growing concern, alternative approaches to reduce and replace the usage of chemicals is warranted. Electric field treatment has shown promising potential to have synergistic effects with standard chemical-based methods as they both target the cell membrane specifically. In this study, we use a lab-on-a-chip device to understand, observe, and quantify the synergistic effect between electric field treatment and copper inactivation. Observations in situ, and at a single cell level, ensure us that the combined approach has an enhancement effect leading more bacteria to be weakened by electric field treatment and susceptible to inactivation by copper ion permeation. The synergistic effects of electric field treatment and copper can be visually concluded here, enabling the further study of this technology to optimally develop, mature, and scale for its various applications in the future. 

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