[Effects of electromagnetic pulse exposure on the morphological change and excretion function of BV-2 cells and possible mechanism].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) exposure on the morphological change and excretion functions of mouse microglia (BV-2) cells and possible mechanism.


METHODS
BV-2 cells were divided into two groups: the group exposed to EMP at 200 kV/m for 200 pulses and sham exposure group. At 1, 6, 12 and 24 hour after exposure the cells and culture supernatant were collected. Cellular morphological change was observed under invert microscope, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10 in culture supernatant were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected by nitrate reductase method and DCFH-DA probe, respectively. The protein and phosphorylation levels of ERK, JNK and p38 were measured by Western Blot method. After the cells pre-treated with the inhibitor of p38 (SB203580) were exposed to EMP, the levels of NO and ROS in culture supernatant were detected.


RESULTS
It was found that the large ameboid shape appeared in some microglia cells exposed to EMP for 1, 6 and 12 h. Moreover, the number of microglia cells with ameboid shape increased significantly at 1 h, 6 h and 12 h after EMP exposure compared with sham group (P < 0.05). The levels of cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10, in culture supernatant did not change obviously after EMP exposure. The levels of NO and ROS increased significantly at 1h after EMP exposure, reached the peak at 6 h, began to recover at 12 h and recovered to sham group level at 24 h (P < 0.05). Western blot results showed that the protein and protein phosphorylation levels of ERK and JNK did not change significantly after EMP exposure, however, the protein and protein phosphorylation levels of p38 increased obviously at 1 h and 6 h after EMP exposure, compared with sham group (P < 0.05). In addition, the pretreatment of p38 inhibitor (SB203580) significantly decreased NO and ROS production induced by EMP.


CONCLUSIONS
EMP exposure may activate microglia cells and promote the production of NO and ROS in mouse microglia cells, and p38 pathway is involved in this process.
Department of Radiation Medicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
Long-long
LL
Yang
Yan
Y
Zhou
Hai-juan
HJ
Li
Juan
J
Guo
Yan-jun
YJ
Zhang
Gui-rong
GR
Ding
Guo-zhen
GZ
Guo
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases