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Effects of a Single Head Exposure to GSM-1800 MHz Signals on the Transcriptome Profile in the Rat Cerebral Cortex: Enhanced Gene Responses Under Proinflammatory Conditions. Neurotox Res 2020; 38:105-123. [PMID: 32200527 PMCID: PMC7223958 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-020-00191-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Mobile communications are propagated by electromagnetic fields (EMFs), and since the 1990s, they operate with pulse-modulated signals such as the GSM-1800 MHz. The biological effects of GSM-EMF in humans affected by neuropathological processes remain seldom investigated. In this study, a 2-h head-only exposure to GSM-1800 MHz was applied to (i) rats undergoing an acute neuroinflammation triggered by a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment, (ii) age-matched healthy rats, or (iii) transgenic hSOD1G93A rats that modeled a presymptomatic phase of human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Gene responses were assessed 24 h after the GSM head-only exposure in a motor area of the cerebral cortex (mCx) where the mean specific absorption rate (SAR) was estimated to be 3.22 W/kg. In LPS-treated rats, a genome-wide mRNA profiling was performed by RNA-seq analysis and revealed significant (adjusted p value < 0.05) but moderate (fold changes < 2) upregulations or downregulations affecting 2.7% of the expressed genes, including genes expressed predominantly in neuronal or in glial cell types and groups of genes involved in protein ubiquitination or dephosphorylation. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analyses confirmed gene modulations uncovered by RNA-seq data and showed that in a set of 15 PCR-assessed genes, significant gene responses to GSM-1800 MHz depended upon the acute neuroinflammatory state triggered in LPS-treated rats, because they were not observed in healthy or in hSOD1G93A rats. Together, our data specify the extent of cortical gene modulations triggered by GSM-EMF in the course of an acute neuroinflammation and indicate that GSM-induced gene responses can differ according to pathologies affecting the CNS.
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Lameth J, Gervais A, Colin C, Lévêque P, Jay TM, Edeline JM, Mallat M. Acute Neuroinflammation Promotes Cell Responses to 1800 MHz GSM Electromagnetic Fields in the Rat Cerebral Cortex. Neurotox Res 2017; 32:444-459. [PMID: 28578480 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-017-9756-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Mobile phone communications are conveyed by radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields, including pulse-modulated global system for mobile communications (GSM)-1800 MHz, whose effects on the CNS affected by pathological states remain to be specified. Here, we investigated whether a 2-h head-only exposure to GSM-1800 MHz could impact on a neuroinflammatory reaction triggered by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in 2-week-old or adult rats. We focused on the cerebral cortex in which the specific absorption rate (SAR) of RF averaged 2.9 W/kg. In developing rats, 24 h after GSM exposure, the levels of cortical interleukin-1ß (IL1ß) or NOX2 NADPH oxidase transcripts were reduced by 50 to 60%, in comparison with sham-exposed animals (SAR = 0), as assessed by RT-qPCR. Adult rats exposed to GSM also showed a 50% reduction in the level of IL1ß mRNA, but they differed from developing rats by the lack of NOX2 gene suppression and by displaying a significant growth response of microglial cell processes imaged in anti-Iba1-stained cortical sections. As neuroinflammation is often associated with changes in excitatory neurotransmission, we evaluated changes in expression and phosphorylation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in the adult cerebral cortex by Western blot analyses. We found that GSM exposure decreased phosphorylation at two residues on the GluA1 AMPAR subunit (serine 831 and 845). The GSM-induced changes in gene expressions, microglia, and GluA1 phosphorylation did not persist 72 h after RF exposure and were not observed in the absence of LPS pretreatment. Together, our data provide evidence that GSM-1800 MHz can modulate CNS cell responses triggered by an acute neuroinflammatory state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Lameth
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM U.1127, CNRS, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Bat. ICM, 47 boulevard de l'Hôpital, F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Annie Gervais
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM U.1127, CNRS, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Bat. ICM, 47 boulevard de l'Hôpital, F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Colin
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM U.1127, CNRS, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Bat. ICM, 47 boulevard de l'Hôpital, F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Lévêque
- Université de Limoges, CNRS, XLIM, UMR 7252, 123 avenue Albert Thomas, F-87000, Limoges, France
| | - Thérèse M Jay
- Physiopathologie des Maladies Psychiatriques, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, UMR_S894 INSERM, Université Paris Descartes, 102-108 rue de la Santé, 75014, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Marc Edeline
- Paris Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, Neuro-PSI, UMR 9197 CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, 91405, Orsay cedex, France
| | - Michel Mallat
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM U.1127, CNRS, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Bat. ICM, 47 boulevard de l'Hôpital, F-75013, Paris, France.
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Liu YX, Li GQ, Fu XP, Xue JH, Ji SP, Zhang ZW, Zhang Y, Li AM. Exposure to 3G mobile phone signals does not affect the biological features of brain tumor cells. BMC Public Health 2015; 15:764. [PMID: 26253141 PMCID: PMC4529714 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1996-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The increase in mobile phone use has generated concerns about possible risks to human health, especially the development of brain tumors. Whether tumor patients should continue to use mobile telephones has remained unclear because of a paucity of information. Herein, we investigated whether electromagnetic fields from mobile phones could alter the biological features of human tumor cells and act as a tumor-promoting agent. Methods Human glioblastoma cell lines, U251-MG and U87-MG, were exposed to 1950-MHz time division-synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) at a specific absorption rate (maximum SAR = 5.0 W/kg) for 12, 24, and 48 h. Cell morphologies and ultra-structures were observed by microscopy and the rates of apoptosis and cell cycle progression were monitored by flow cytometry. Additionally, cell growth was determined using the CKK-8 assay, and the expression levels of tumor and apoptosis-related genes and proteins were analyzed by real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. Tumor formation and invasiveness were measured using a tumorigenicity assay in vivo and migration assays in vitro. Results No significant differences in either biological features or tumor formation ability were observed between unexposed and exposed glioblastoma cells. Our data showed that exposure to 1950-MHz TD-SCDMA electromagnetic fields for up to 48 h did not act as a cytotoxic or tumor-promoting agent to affect the proliferation or gene expression profile of glioblastoma cells. Conclusions Our findings implied that exposing brain tumor cells in vitro for up to 48 h to 1950-MHz continuous TD-SCDMA electromagnetic fields did not elicit a general cell stress response. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-1996-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-xiao Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, 51 Fushi Road, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Guo-qing Li
- China Telecommunication Technology Labs, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang-ping Fu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, 51 Fushi Road, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-hui Xue
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, 51 Fushi Road, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shou-ping Ji
- Department of blood molecular biology, Institute of blood transfusion medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-wen Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, 51 Fushi Road, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China.
| | - An-ming Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, 51 Fushi Road, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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Lu Y, He M, Zhang Y, Xu S, Zhang L, He Y, Chen C, Liu C, Pi H, Yu Z, Zhou Z. Differential pro-inflammatory responses of astrocytes and microglia involve STAT3 activation in response to 1800 MHz radiofrequency fields. PLoS One 2014; 9:e108318. [PMID: 25275372 PMCID: PMC4183530 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia and astrocytes play important role in maintaining the homeostasis of central nervous system (CNS). Several CNS impacts have been postulated to be associated with radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields exposure. Given the important role of inflammation in neural physiopathologic processes, we investigated the pro-inflammatory responses of microglia and astrocytes and the involved mechanism in response to RF fields. Microglial N9 and astroglial C8-D1A cells were exposed to 1800 MHz RF for different time with or without pretreatment with STAT3 inhibitor. Microglia and astrocytes were activated by RF exposure indicated by up-regulated CD11b and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). However, RF exposure induced differential pro-inflammatory responses in astrocytes and microglia, characterized by different expression and release profiles of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, PGE2, nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2). Moreover, the RF exposure activated STAT3 in microglia but not in astrocytes. Furthermore, the STAT3 inhibitor Stattic ameliorated the RF-induced release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in microglia but not in astrocytes. Our results demonstrated that RF exposure differentially induced pro-inflammatory responses in microglia and astrocytes, which involved differential activation of STAT3 in microglia and astrocytes. Our data provide novel insights into the potential mechanisms of the reported CNS impacts associated with mobile phone use and present STAT3 as a promising target to protect humans against increasing RF exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghui Lu
- Department of Occupational Health, Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mindi He
- Department of Occupational Health, Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shangcheng Xu
- Department of Occupational Health, Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Occupational Health, Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yue He
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chunhai Chen
- Department of Occupational Health, Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chuan Liu
- Department of Occupational Health, Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huifeng Pi
- Department of Occupational Health, Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhengping Yu
- Department of Occupational Health, Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhou Zhou
- Department of Occupational Health, Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Liu YX, Tai JL, Li GQ, Zhang ZW, Xue JH, Liu HS, Zhu H, Cheng JD, Liu YL, Li AM, Zhang Y. Exposure to 1950-MHz TD-SCDMA electromagnetic fields affects the apoptosis of astrocytes via caspase-3-dependent pathway. PLoS One 2012; 7:e42332. [PMID: 22870319 PMCID: PMC3411641 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2012] [Accepted: 07/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The usage of mobile phone increases globally. However, there is still a paucity of data about the impact of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on human health. This study investigated whether EMF radiation would alter the biology of glial cells and act as a tumor-promoting agent. We exposed rat astrocytes and C6 glioma cells to 1950-MHz TD-SCDMA for 12, 24 and 48 h respectively, and found that EMF exposure had differential effects on rat astroctyes and C6 glioma cells. A 48 h of exposure damaged the mitochondria and induced significant apoptosis of astrocytes. Moreover, caspase-3, a hallmark of apoptosis, was highlighted in astrocytes after 48 h of EMF exposure, accompanied by a significantly increased expression of bax and reduced level of bcl-2. The tumorigenicity assays demonstrated that astrocytes did not form tumors in both control and exposure groups. In contrast, the unexposed and exposed C6 glioma cells show no significant differences in both biological feature and tumor formation ability. Therefore, our results implied that exposure to the EMF of 1950-MHz TD-SCDMA may not promote the tumor formation, but continuous exposure damaged the mitochondria of astrocytes and induce apoptosis through a caspase-3-dependent pathway with the involvement of bax and bcl-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-xiao Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | | | - Guo-qing Li
- China Telecommunication Technology Labs, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-wen Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jing-hui Xue
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hong-sheng Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Heng Zhu
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ji-de Cheng
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan-ling Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - An-ming Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (YZ); (AL)
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (YZ); (AL)
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Yang X, He G, Hao Y, Chen C, Li M, Wang Y, Zhang G, Yu Z. The role of the JAK2-STAT3 pathway in pro-inflammatory responses of EMF-stimulated N9 microglial cells. J Neuroinflammation 2010; 7:54. [PMID: 20828402 PMCID: PMC2945324 DOI: 10.1186/1742-2094-7-54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2010] [Accepted: 09/09/2010] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In several neuropathological conditions, microglia can become overactivated and cause neurotoxicity by initiating neuronal damage in response to pro-inflammatory stimuli. Our previous studies have shown that exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) activates cultured microglia to produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and nitric oxide (NO) through signal transduction involving the activator of transcription STAT3. Here, we investigated the role of STAT3 signaling in EMF-induced microglial activation and pro-inflammatory responses in more detail than the previous study. Methods N9 microglial cells were treated with EMF exposure or a sham treatment, with or without pretreatment with an inhibitor (Pyridone 6, P6) of the Janus family of tyrosine kinases (JAK). The activation state of microglia was assessed via immunoreaction using the microglial marker CD11b. Levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), TNF-α and NO were measured using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the nitrate reductase method. Activation of JAKs and STAT3 proteins was evaluated by western blotting for specific tyrosine phosphorylation. The ability of STAT3 to bind to DNA was detected with an electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA). Results EMF was found to significantly induce phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3, and DNA-binding ability of STAT3 in N9 microglia. In addition, EMF dramatically increased the expression of CD11b, TNF-α and iNOS, and the production of NO. P6 strongly suppressed the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 and diminished STAT3 activity in EMF-stimulated microglia. Interestingly, expression of CD11b as well as gene expression and production of TNF-α and iNOS were suppressed by P6 at 12 h, but not at 3 h, after EMF exposure. Conclusions EMF exposure directly triggers initial activation of microglia and produces a significant pro-inflammatory response. Our findings confirm that the JAK2-STAT3 pathway may not mediate this initial microglial activation but does promote pro-inflammatory responses in EMF-stimulated microglial cells. Thus, the JAK2-STAT3 pathway might be a therapeutic target for reducing pro-inflammatory responses in EMF-activated microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuesen Yang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation Ministry of Education, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
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