Effects of 50 Hz electromagnetic fields on rat cortical synaptosomes.
Nerve cells are very responsive to weak pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Such non-ionizing radiation, with frequencies of 0-300 Hz and 0.1-100 mT, can affect several cellular activities, with unusual dose-response characteristics. The present study examined the effect of a 2-h exposure of synaptosomes on a system generating a peak magnetic field of 2 mT. We evaluated the changes of the synaptosomal mitochondrial respiration rate and ATP production, membrane potential, intrasynaptosomal Ca2+ concentration, and the release of free iron and F2-isoprostanes. O2 consumption and ATP production remained unchanged in exposed synaptosomes. The intrasynaptosomal Ca2+ concentration decreased slowly and no depolarization of the synaptosomal membrane was detected. Finally, the release of free iron and F2-isoprostanes by synaptosomal suspensions also remained unchanged after EMF exposure. These results indicate that the physiological behavior of cortical synaptosomes was unaffected by weak pulsed EMFs.
Aldinucci
C
C
Department of Physiology, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Carretta
A
A
Maiorca
S M
SM
Leoncini
S
S
Signorini
C
C
Ciccoli
L
L
Pessina
G P
GP
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D028441:F2-Isoprostanes / Q000096:biosynthesis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*
D028441:F2-Isoprostanes; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D007501:Iron; D003676:Deferoxamine; D002118:Calcium