title: Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Exposure Reduces Hypoxia and Inflammation Damage in Neuron-Like and Microglial Cells.
abstract: 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. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 1200-1208, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vincenzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ravani
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pasquini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merighi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gessi
authors.affiliation: Igea Biophysics Laboratory, Carpi, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Setti
authors.affiliation: Igea Biophysics Laboratory, Carpi, Italy.
authors.forename: Ruggero
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cadossi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Pier Andrea
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Borea
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Varani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha