title: The effects of electromagnetic pulse on the protein levels of tight junction associated-proteins in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, heart, lung, and testis of rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate changes in the expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, heart, lung, and testes of rats after exposure to electromagnetic pulse (EMP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into sham and exposure groups. The exposure groups received EMP at 200 kV/m for 200 pulses with a repetition rate of 1 Hz. The expression of TJ proteins (ZO-1, occludin, actin) in the several organs was examined by western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ZO-1 levels in the cerebral cortex decreased 1 h and 3 h after EMP exposure compared with sham group (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed for occludin and actin. ZO-1 levels in the hippocampus increased 1 h and 3 h post-exposure (P<0.05), and occludin decreased after 3 h (P<0.05); however, actin was unaffected. ZO-1 levels in the heart increased 3 h post-exposure (P<0.05), occludin decreased 3 h post-exposure (P<0.05), and actin increased 1 h and 3 h post-exposure (P<0.05). ZO-1, occludin and actin levels in the lung decreased compared with those in the sham group (P<0.05). ZO-1 and occludin levels in the testes decreased 1 h and 3 h post-exposure (P<0.05), but actin showed no significant change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to EMP altered the expression levels of TJ proteins, particularly ZO-1, in the organs of adult male rats, which may induce changes in barrier structure and function.
authors: Department of Blood Transfusion, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shannxi, China.
authors: LianBo
authors: L
authors: Qiu
authors: Chen
authors: C
authors: Chen
authors: GuiRong
authors: G
authors: Ding
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: MengYao
authors: M
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D060733:Electromagnetic Radiation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D062793:Occludin; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D062793:Occludin; C568987:Ocln protein, rat; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C569044:Tjp1 protein, rat; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein