REGULATION OF TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-BETA (TGF-BETA) GENE EXPRESSION IN LIVING CELLS VIA THE APPLICATION OF SPECIFIC AND SELECTIVE ELECTRIC AND ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
Disclosed is a device for the treatment of a bone fracture, fracture at risk, delayed union, nonunion, bone defect, spine fusion, osteonecrosis, osteoporosis, comprising: a signal source that generates at least one specific and selective electric signal having a frequency from 30 kHz to 120 kHz, a field generating device connected to the signal source so as to receive at least one specific and selective signal and that is operatively disposed with respect to targeted tissue, the field generating device upon receipt of the at least one specific and selective electric signal causing the generation of a specific and selective an electric field having an amplitude of about 0.2 to 80 mV /cm in the targeted tissue that is specific and selective for up-regulating substantially up-regulates the gene expression of TGF-â1, â2, and/or â3 protein in the targeted tissue as measured by mRNA, and the signal source controlling and varying the duration of time of application of said at least one specific and selective signal for a duration of time from approximately half hour to 24 hours per 24 hour period and controlling and varying the duty cycle of the at least one specific and selective signal applied to the field generating device from approximately 10% to 100% so as to selectively up-regulate gene expression of TGF-â1, â2, and/or â3 in the targeted tissue as a result of upon application of the at least one specific and selective electric field thereto for a pre-determined duration of time at predetermined intervals, a portable power unity that drives the signal source in the first and second modes, an output signal in the first mode causing the generation of a 20mV/cm field in the targeted tissue for a selected period of time, and an output signal in the second mode causing the generation of a 40mV/cm field in the targeted tissue for another selected period of time.
