Author: Vincenzi F1, Ravani A1, Pasquini S1, Merighi S1, Gessi S1, Setti S2, Cadossi R2, Borea PA1, Varani K3
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
<sup>2</sup>Igea Biophysics Laboratory, Carpi, Italy.
<sup>3</sup>Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy. vrk@unife.it.
Conference/Journal: J Cell Physiol.
Date published: 2016 Sep 17
Other:
Special Notes: doi: 10.1002/jcp.25606. [Epub ahead of print] , Word Count: 275
In the present study the effect of low-frequency, low-energy pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) has been investigated by using different cell lines derived from neuron-like cells and microglial cells. In particular, the primary aim was to evaluate the effect of PEMF exposure in inflammation- and hypoxia-induced injury in two different neuronal cell models, the human neuroblastoma-derived SH-SY5Y cells and rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells and in N9 microglial cells. In neuron-like cells, live/dead and apoptosis assays were performed in hypoxia conditions from 2 to 48 h. Interestingly, PEMF exposure counteracted hypoxia damage significantly reducing cell death and apoptosis. In the same cell lines, PEMFs inhibited the activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), the master transcriptional regulator of cellular response to hypoxia. The effect of PEMF exposure on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in both neuron-like and microglial cells was investigated considering their key role in ischemic injury. PEMFs significantly decreased hypoxia-induced ROS generation in PC12, SH-SY5Y and N9 cells after 24 or 48 h of incubation. Moreover, PEMFs were able to reduce some of the most well-known pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor -α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 release in N9 microglial cells stimulated with different concentrations of LPS for 24 or 48 h of incubation time. These results show a protective effect of PEMFs on hypoxia damage in neuron-like cells and an anti-inflammatory effect in microglial cells suggesting that PEMFs could represent a potential therapeutic approach in cerebral ischemic conditions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS: HIF-1α; N9 microglial cells; PC12 cells; SH-SY5Y cells; hypoxia; pulsed electromagnetic field
PMID: 27639248 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.25606