Brain hsp70 expression and DNA damage in mice exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic fields: A dose-response study. (July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Villarini, Milena; Ambrosini, Maria Vittoria; Moretti, Massimo; Dominici, Luca; Taha, Elena; Piobbico, Danilo; Gambelunghe, Cristiana; Mariucci, Giuseppina
• Is Part Of: International journal of radiation biology. Volume 89:Number 7(2013:Jul.)
• Page Start: 562
• Page End: 570
• Publication Date: 2013-07
• Subjects: Radiation -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Radiobiology -- Periodicals; 571.45
• DOI: 10.3109/09553002.2013.782449
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0955-3002

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Purpose</italic>: To determine whether a dose-response relationship exists among exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) at different densities and 70-kDa heat shock protein (hsp70) expression and DNA damage in mouse brain.</p> <p> <italic>Materials and methods</italic>: Male CD1 mice were exposed to ELF-MF (50 Hz; 0.1, 0.2, 1 or 2 mT) for 7 days (15 h/day) and sacrificed either at the end of exposure or after 24 h. Hsp70 expression was determined in cerebral cortex-striatum, hippocampus and cerebellum by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. Primary DNA damage was evaluated in the same tissues by comet assay. Sham-exposed mice were used as controls.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: No changes in both hsp70 mRNA and corresponding protein occurred following exposure to ELF-MF, except for a weak increase in the mRNA in hippocampus of exposed mice to 0.1 mT ELF-MF. Only mice exposed to 1 or 2 mT and sacrificed immediately after exposure presented DNA strand breaks higher than controls in all the cerebral areas; such DNA breakage reverted to baseline in the mice sacrificed 24 h after exposure.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusions</italic>: These data show that high density ELF-MF only induce reversible brain DNA damage while they do not affect hsp70 expression.</p> </abstract>