Regenerative treatment using a radioelectric asymmetric conveyor as a novel tool in antiaging medicine: an in vitro beta-galactosidase study

Salvatore Rinaldi,^1,2 Margherita Maioli,^1,3,4 Sara Santaniello,^3,4 Alessandro Castagna,^1,2 Gianfranco Pigliaru,^3,4 Sara Gualini,^3,4 Matteo Lotti Margotti,⁵ Arturo Carta,⁶ Vania Fontani,^1,2 Carlo Ventura<sup>1,4,7

1</sup>Department of Regenerative Medicine, Rinaldi Fontani Institute, Florence; ²Department of Neuro Psycho Physio Pathology and Neuro Psycho Physical Optimization, Rinaldi Fontani Institute, Florence; ³Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari; ⁴Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Stem Cell Engineering, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Bologna; ⁵Department of Information Technology and Statistical Analysis, Rinaldi Fontani Institute, Florence; ⁶Ophthalmology Section, University of Parma, Parma; ⁷Cardiovascular Department, S Orsola Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

Background: Beta-galactosidase is the most widely used biomarker for highlighting the processes of cellular aging, including neurodegeneration. On this basis, we decided to test in vitro whether a set of rescuing/reparative events previously observed by us in subjects treated with radioelectric asymmetric conveyor (REAC) technology may also involve antagonism of a marker of aging-related degenerative processes, as assessed by a reduction in beta-galactosidase at the cellular level.
Methods: Human adipose-derived stem cells were cultured at different passages, ranging from 5 to 20, with or without REAC exposure for 12 hours. The cells were then processed for biochemical beta-galactosidase staining and morphological microscopy analysis.
Results: We observed a significant reduction in expression of senescence associated-beta-galactosidase, and a persistence of fibroblast-like morphology typical of human adipose-derived stem cells, even at late passages.
Conclusion: Our results indicate the ability of REAC technology to counteract in vitro senescence of human adipose-derived stem cells, and prompt the hypothesis that such technology may be exploited to antagonize in vivo senescence of tissue-resident or transplanted stem cells playing an important role in clinical treatment of age-related processes.

Keywords: aging, adipose-derived stem cells, neurodegenerative diseases