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Final Program


Final Congress Guide

Biomedical Sciences

100 Section - Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields Target the Inflammatory-Cartilage Degradation Cycle to Ameliorate Senile Knee Osteoarthritis.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

    Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

  • LY

    Linwei Yin, PhD

    Rehabilitation Therapist
    The First Affiliated Hospital Of University Of South China
    Hengyang, Hunan, China (People's Republic)

    • Co-Author/Coautor(s)

  • jw

    jinling wang, MD

    DOCTOR
    The First Affiliated Hospital Of University Of South China
    Hengyang, Hunan, China (People's Republic)

  • ML

    Mengmeng Li, MS

    Rehabilitation Therapist
    The First Affiliated Hospital Of University Of South China
    Hengyang, Hunan, China (People's Republic)

  • HT

    Huali Tang, MS

    None
    Department of Rehabilitation ，Rehabilitation Medicine Center ，Rehabilitation Laboratory， the First Affiliated Hospital ，Hengyang Medical School， University of South China
    Hengyang, Hunan, China (People's Republic)

    • Corresponding Author/Autor a quien dirigir la corr(s)

  • JZ

    Jun Zhou, PhD

    head of department
    Rehabilitation department
    Hengyang City, Hunan, China (People's Republic)

Objectives : While inflammation is considered the chief culprit in senile knee osteoarthritis (KOA), its precise mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the mechanism by which Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMF) ameliorate KOA in aged rats, focusing on the regulation of inflammation and macrophage M2 polarization.

Design: Eight 6-month-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were assigned as the Young group. Sixteen 22-month-old male SD rats were randomly divided into the Aged group and the PEMF group. The PEMF group received intervention with standard PEMF parameters. After the intervention, all rats were euthanized. Levels of inflammatory factors, macrophage M2 polarization, and cartilage degradation markers were measured. Morphology of the tibial plateau cartilage was observed, and the degree of cartilage degeneration was assessed using the modified Mankin's score. The microstructure of the tibial subchondral bone was analyzed using micro-CT.

Results: Compared to the Young group, the Aged group exhibited a severe inflammatory response in the knee joint and inhibition of macrophage M2 polarization. Significant cartilage degradation was observed. Safranin O-Fast Green staining revealed an uneven cartilage surface with extensive fissures, unclear layer demarcation, disordered and abnormal chondrocyte arrangement, uneven distribution, partial cell loss, and uneven staining in the Aged group. In contrast, PEMF intervention in aged rats markedly reduced the inflammatory response and promoted a trend towards increased macrophage M2 polarization. Cartilage degradation was alleviated, as evidenced by Safranin O-Fast Green staining showing a relatively smooth cartilage surface, clear layer demarcation, orderly cell arrangement, normal morphology, even distribution, intact structure, and uniform staining.

Conclusion: Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields may ameliorate knee osteoarthritis by regulating macrophage M2 polarization and the inflammatory response, thereby disrupting the "inflammation-cartilage degradation-amplified inflammation" cycle.