Non-Contact Picosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Up Regulate SOX2 Gene Expression in Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Pulsed electric fields with picosecond durations have the potential to be radiated from ultra-wideband antennas for applications in tissue engineering and wound healing. To test this possibility picosecond pulses were applied in vitro to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to determine the effect on gene expression of known biomarkers for differentiation fate and cell stemness (OCT3/4, PPARG, RUNX2, and SOX2). Using a modified 3-D bioprinter and a non-contact electrode, MSCs were exposed to 20 kV /cm and 40 kV /cm at a 1 kHz repetition rate. At these confirmed sub-cytotoxic field strengths, there was a statistically significant up regulation specific to SOX2. In MSCs the targeted up regulation of SOX2 represents a plausible noninvasive technique to delay differentiation, enhance proliferation, and maintain the stemness of multipotent MSCs.