Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields enhance the proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells cultured from ischemic brains

Abstract

In the mammalian brain, neurogenesis persists throughout the embryonic period and adulthood in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle and the granular zone (dentate gyrus) of the hippocampus. Newborn neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the two regions play a critical role in structural and functional plasticity and neural regeneration after brain injury. Previous studies have reported that extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) could promote osteogenesis, angiogenesis, and cardiac stem cells' differentiation, which indicates that ELF-EMF might be an effective tool for regenerative therapy. The present studies were carried out to examine the effects of ELF-EMF on hippocampal NPCs cultured from embryonic and adult ischemic brains. We found that exposure to ELF-EMF (50 Hz, 0.4 mT) significantly enhanced the proliferation capability both in embryonic NPCs and in ischemic NPCs. Neuronal differentiation was also enhanced after 7 days of cumulative ELF-EMF exposure, whereas glial differentiation was not influenced markedly. The expression of phosphorylated Akt increased during the proliferation process when ischemic NPCs were exposed to ELF-EMF. However, blockage of the Akt pathway abolished the ELF-EMF-induced proliferation of ischemic NPCs. These data show that ELF-EMF promotes neurogenesis of ischemic NPCs and suggest that this effect may occur through the Akt pathway.Video abstract, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/WNR/A347.

Increase in Blood Levels of Growth Factors Involved in the Neuroplasticity Process by Using an Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Field in Post-stroke Patients

“…In our study we suggested that ELF-EMF improved neuroplasticity, which idea is compatible with data from the existing literature ( Oda and Koike, 2004 ; Cuccurazzu et al, 2010 ; Balassa et al, 2013 ; Cheng et al, 2015 ). Cuccurazzu et al (2010) investigated the effect of ELF-EMF (50Hz, 1mT) on hippocampal neurogenesis in adult mice.…”

ELF-MF exposure affects the robustness of epigenetic programming during granulopoiesis

“…This “programming” of genomes in differentiating cells is instructed by environmental cues and, hence, is also likely to be sensitive to disturbance by environmental factors2223, such as EMFs. Consistent with a possible impact of ELF-MF exposure on epigenetic cell programming, it has been reported that ELF-MFs are able to alter neural differentiation24252627. Regulatory epigenetic modifications include the acetylation and methylation of histone tails and the methylation of DNA cytosine bases2829, altogether establishing three main classes of chromatin; i.e.…”

Benign Effect of Extremely Low‐Frequency Electromagnetic Field on Brain Plasticity Assessed by Nitric Oxide Metabolism during Poststroke Rehabilitation

“…However, the most important part of poststroke therapy is immediate and long-term rehabilitation, considering the enormous plasticity of the brain [ 3 ]. Although extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) therapy is not a standard treatment in the poststroke rehabilitation, some authors suggest its increased positive effect on patients [ 4 ]. ELF-EMF treatment is based on regeneration, osteogenesis, analgesics, and anti-inflammatory action.…”