Effect of extremely low-frequency and radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure on the expression of phosphorylated Tau protein in human neuroblastoma

Taalloli, Arezou; Abdolmaleki, Parviz; Shahpasand, Koroush; Jouyan, Najmeh

Effect of extremely low-frequency and radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure on the expression of phosphorylated Tau protein in human neuroblastoma

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

arezou taalloli ¹

Parviz Abdolmaleki ²

Koroush Shahpasand ³

Najmeh Jouyan ⁴

¹ PhD student of the department of biophysics, faculty of biological sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

³ Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Royan institute for stem cell biology and technology, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Aims

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of neurons leading to cognitive and memory decay. Accumulation of phosphorylated cis-tau inside neurons is considered a factor in AD's pathological features. This study investigated the effects of extremely low-frequency (EMF) and radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields on the proliferation and expression of phosphorylated tau in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

Materials and Methods

SH-SY5Y cells treated were exposed to 50 Hz, 20 mT EMF, and 900 MHz for 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours, and the number of the viable cell were determined by MTT assay. Tau protein phosphorylation level was examined after exposure to EMF and RF at different time intervals.

Results

Exposure to the EMF and RF alone had no significant effect on the viability of SH-SY5Y cells compared to sham-exposed cells. However, the expression of phosphorylated cis-tau was significantly increased after exposure.

Conclusion

This study suggests that exposure of human neuroblastoma cells to a 50 Hz electromagnetic field and 900 MHz radiofrequency might induce phosphorylated cis-tau and thus enhance the potency of AD.

Keywords

Alzheimer's disease

Extremely Low-Frequency and Radiofrequency

MTT assay

Cis-Tau

Subjects

Molecular biotechnology

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