Effects of Various Densities of 50 Hz Electromagnetic Field on Serum IL-9, IL-10, and TNF-α Levels

• Published in: international journal of occupational and environmental medicine 2020-01, Vol.11 (1), p.24-32
• Main Authors: Mahaki, Hanie, Jabarivasal, Naghi, Sardanian, Khosro, Zamani, Alireza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Electromagnetic Fields - adverse effects; Humans; Interleukin-10 - blood; Interleukin-9 - blood; Male; Original; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood
• ISSN: 2008-6520; 2008-6814
• DOI: 10.15171/ijoem.2020.1572

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) are abundantly produced in modern societies. In recent years, interest in the possible effects of ELF-EMFs on the immune system has progressively increased. To examine the effects of ELF-EMFs with magnetic flux densities of 1, 100, 500, and 2000 μT on the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-9, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). 80 adult male rats were exposed to ELF-EMFs at a frequency of 50 Hz for 2 h/day for 60 days. The serum cytokines were measured at two phases of pre- and post-stimulation of the immune system by human serum albumin (HSA). Serum levels of IL-9 and TNF-α, as pro-inflammatory cytokines, were decreased due to 50 Hz EMFs exposure compared with the controls in the pre- and post-stimulation phases. On the contrary, exposures to 1 and 100 μT 50 Hz EMFs increased the levels of antiinflammatory cytokine, and IL-10 only in the pre-stimulation phase. In the post-stimulation phase, the mean level of serum IL-10 was not changed in the experimental groups. The magnetic flux densities of 1 and 100 μT 50 Hz EMFs had more immunological effects than EMFs with higher densities. Exposure to 50 Hz EMFs may activate anti-inflammatory effects in rats, by down-modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-9 and TNF-α) and induction of the anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10).