Effect of electromagnetic field at low intensity exposure on neural cells and implication regarding neurodegenerative processes

AIMS: The effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on human health have been widely studied and their exposure has been postulated to cause a variety of neurological effects, such as neuron and glial cell death, disturbances in neurotransmitter release. To assess the EMF influence at low intensity on neural cell cultures, we used Olfactory Ensheathing Cells (OECs), typical glia cells showing characteristics of stem cells that are able to express growth factors and promote axonal regeneration in the injured sites of Nervous System. METHODS: OECs were prepared from rat olfactory bulbs and divided into three groups (control, sham and test). Controls were maintained into the incubator, while the sham and test samples were placed into two identical covered water thermal baths. The test sample was exposed to amplitude modulated and not modulated EMF, while the sham sample was not exposed. OEC marker expression was analyzed by immunocytochemistry, cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay. RESULTS: Morphological differences in OECs not exposed (control) and exposed to not modulated or modulated to EMF at 900 MHz for 20 min at 37°C were observed. In addition, EMF is able to induce both a significant decrease in cellular viability between cell cultures exposed to modulate and not modulated EMF and a different marker expression. CONCLUSIONS: We hypnotized that involved mechanism might be related to the increase of intracellular calcium ions levels, probably due to the hyperstimulation of the glutamate receptors, which play a crucial role in the acute and chronic brain damage, including neurodegerative diseases.