Effect of pulsed electromagnetic field exposure on adenosine receptors in rat brain.
Different effects of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) exposure on brain tissue have been described in pre-clinical models and in clinical settings. Nevertheless, the mechanism of action and the possible interaction with membrane receptors such as adenosine receptors (ARs) has not been investigated. The present study focused on the effect of PEMFs on A1 and A2A ARs in the rat cerebral cortex and cortical neurons. Affinity and density of ARs were evaluated by means of saturation binding experiments while mRNA expression was investigated through retro-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). PEMF treatment of the intact rat cerebral cortex or cortical neurons at 1.5 mT mediated a transient and significant increase in A2A ARs after 4 h (2.0-fold increase) and 6 h (1.4- and 1.8-fold increase, respectively) of exposure. In addition, PEMF treatment of the rat cerebral cortex and rat cortical neurons at 3 mT upregulated A2A ARs after 2 h (2.0- and 2.2-fold increase, respectively) and 4 h (1.6- and 1.9-fold increase, respectively). The treatment of rat cortex membranes with PEMFs at 1.5 and 3 mT induced an increase in A2A AR density after 2 h (1.9- and 2.2-fold increase, respectively) and was constant at all incubation times investigated. In rat cortical neurons, mRNA levels of A1 and A2A ARs were not affected by PEMF exposure for the times and intensities used. These results suggest that PEMF treatment has different biological effects in whole organs or cells in comparison with isolated membranes.
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy. vrk@unife.it.
Katia
K
Varani
Fabrizio
F
Vincenzi
Martina
M
Targa
Carmen
C
Corciulo
Milena
M
Fini
Stefania
S
Setti
Ruggero
R
Cadossi
Pier Andrea
PA
Borea
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D043682:Receptor, Adenosine A1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D043683:Receptors, Adenosine A2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043682:Receptor, Adenosine A1; D043683:Receptors, Adenosine A2