A study found that applying electrical stimulation to immune cells can reduce inflammation and help damaged tissues recover more quickly. Researchers expect that electrical stimulation could be utilized as a new treatment method to enhance the body's recovery process.
The research team, led by Professor Michael Monaghan from Trinity College Dublin, said, "We proved that applying electrical stimulation to macrophages reduces inflammation and promotes the formation of new blood vessels, which aids in patient treatment," and published the findings in the international journal "Cell Reports Physical Science" on the 2nd (local time).
Macrophages, a type of white blood cell, play a crucial role in responding to infections and tissue recovery by engulfing pathogens, cell debris, and foreign substances. While they eliminate pathogens by inducing inflammation, excessive inflammation can damage the body, making them a double-edged sword in tissue regeneration.
To find an effective way to regulate macrophages, the research team conducted electrical stimulation experiments. They isolated macrophages from the blood of healthy donors and applied an electric current. As a result, the macrophages shifted to an anti-inflammatory state that reduces inflammation.
At the same time, gene activity that generates new blood vessels also increased, confirming that stem cells gathered at the wound site to aid tissue regeneration. Damaged tissues recovered more quickly than before.
It has already been established that macrophages play an important role in responding to infections and tissue regeneration. Previous research confirmed that applying microcurrents to damaged nerve cells causes macrophages to enter an anti-inflammatory state, protecting damaged nerves and surrounding cells.
Additionally, various cell and animal experiments have proven that electrical stimulation regulates the secretion of cytokine proteins that control immune cell activity and immune responses and accelerates wound healing and tissue regeneration. However, this is the first study to confirm the effects of electrical stimulation on macrophages.
Dr. Sinead O'Rourke, the lead author of the paper, said, "We expect that electrical stimulation will become a new treatment method that can enhance the body's recovery processes in various damage and disease situations."
The research team plans to further study the electrical stimulation method with greater precision and to explore ways to apply the findings of this study to various inflammatory diseases.
References
Cell Reports Physical Science (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102795