Fifty Hertz electromagnetic field exposure stimulates secretion of β-amyloid peptide in cultured human neuroglioma

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 2007-05, Vol.418 (1), p.9-12
• Main Authors: Del Giudice, Elda, Facchinetti, Fabrizio, Nofrate, Valentina, Boccaccio, Pasquale, Minelli, Tullio, Dam, Mauro, Leon, Alberta, Moschini, Giuliano
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alzheimer Disease - etiology; Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid beta-Peptides - radiation effects; Amyloid precursor protein; Amyloidogenesis; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Neoplasms - pathology; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival - radiation effects; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Electromagnetic fields; Electromagnetic Fields - adverse effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glioma - pathology; Humans; Medical sciences; Neurology; Neuron; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Occupational risk; Radiation; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2007.02.057

Recent epidemiological studies raise the possibility that individuals with occupational exposure to low frequency (50–60 Hz) electromagnetic fields (LF-EMF), are at increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanisms through which LF-EMF may affect AD pathology are unknown. We here tested the hypothesis that the exposure to LF-EMF may affect amyloidogenic processes. We examined the effect of exposure to 3.1 mT 50 Hz LF-EMF on Aβ secretion in H4 neuroglioma cells stably overexpressing human mutant amyloid precursor protein. We found that overnight exposure to LF-EMF induces a significant increase of amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) secretion, including the isoform Aβ 1–42, without affecting cell survival. These findings show for the first time that exposure to LF-EMF stimulates Aβ secretion in vitro, thus alluding to a potential link between LF-EMF exposure and APP processing in the brain.