Mammalian stem cells reprogramming in response to terahertz radiation

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Terahertz (THz) radiation is a non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation.
• Understanding THz radiation's biological effects is crucial for its applications.
• Cellular functions, particularly gene transcription, may be sensitive to THz exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of broad-spectrum THz radiation on cellular functions.
• To identify specific genes affected by THz exposure in mouse stem cells.
• To explore the potential of THz radiation for cellular reprogramming.

Main Methods:

• Gene chip analysis to survey gene expression changes.
• Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for gene-specific validation.
• Molecular dynamics computer simulations of DNA promoter dynamics.

Main Results:

• Extended THz radiation exposure induced specific changes in DNA-directed gene transcription.
• While 89% of genes were unresponsive, others were activated or repressed in a gene-specific manner.
• THz irradiation accelerated cell differentiation toward an adipose phenotype, notably by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG).

Conclusions:

• THz radiation elicits gene-specific transcriptional responses dependent on irradiation conditions.
• The activation of PPARG suggests THz radiation can influence cell differentiation pathways.
• THz radiation presents a potential tool for cellular reprogramming due to its specific biological effects.