Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field on MAP2 and Nestin gene expression of hair follicle dermal papilla cells med./bio.

Published in: Int J Artif Organs 2016; 39 (6): 294-299

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The effects of exposure of dermal papilla mesenchymal cells to a pulsed 50 Hz magnetic field on the gene expression of neural differentiation markers should be investigated.

Background/further details

Cells were divided into the following groups: 1) exposure to magnetic field for 5, 14 and 20 days, 2) treatment with neural differentiation medium for 5 days, 3) co-exposure to the magnetic field and neural differentiation medium for 5 days and 4) control group.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: intermittent 7 hours per day for 5, 14 or 20 days

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Waveform
Exposure duration intermittent 7 hours per day for 5, 14 or 20 days
Additional info (remark EMF-Portal: or sinusoidal signal? Contradictory specifications in the article)
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Pulse width 40 ms
Duty cycle 60 %
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber solenoid inside an incubator with 5% CO2 and 37°C
Setup samples were placed at the center of a uniform field area inside a multi-turn solenoid
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 1 mT - - - -

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • during exposure
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The gene expression of MAP2 was significantly increased in cells exposed to the magnetic field (group 1) for 14 days and in cells treated with neural differentiation medium (group 2), with group 2 showing the most distinct increase. However, no MAP2 expression was found in cells co-exposed to the magnetic field and differentiation medium (group 3). The Nestin gene expression was significantly increased in cells from group 1 after 14 days and group 3, with the most distinct increase in group 3.
In morphological investigations, cells from group 1 showed the unipolar and multipolar morphology of neurons after 5 or 14 days, while in group 2, a large number of dead cells was observed.
Cell proliferation was decreased in group 1 after 5, 14 and 20 days compared to the control group (significance not stated), supporting an increased differentiation in this group.
The authors conclude that exposure of dermal papilla mesenchymal cells to a pulsed 50 Hz magnetic field might increase the gene expression of the neural differentiation markers Nestin and MAP2.

Study character:

Study funded by

Related articles