Brain-applied magnetic fields and immune response: role of the pineal gland

Effects of 0.4 T, 3.0 T and 9.4 T static magnetic fields on development, behaviour and immune response in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is widely applied in medical diagnosis due to its excellent non-invasiveness. With the increasing intensity of static magnetic field (SMF), the safety assessment of MRI has been ongoing. In this study, zebrafish larvae were exposed to SMFs of 0.4, 3.0, and 9.4 T for 2 h (h), and we found that there was no significant difference in the number of spontaneous tail swings, heart rate, and body length of zebrafish larvae in the treatment groups. The expression of development-related genes shha, pygo1, mylz3 and runx2b in the three SMF groups was almost not significantly different from the control group. Behavior tests unveiled a notable reduction in both the average speed and duration of high-speed movements in zebrafish larvae across all three SMF groups. In addition, the 0.4 and 3.0 T SMFs increased the migration of neutrophils in caudal fin injury, and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines was also increased. To explore the mechanism of SMFs on zebrafish immune function, this study utilized aanat2-/- mutant fish to demonstrate the effect of melatonin (MT) involvement in SMFs on zebrafish immune function. This study provides experimental data for understanding the effects of SMFs on organisms, and also provides a new insight for exploring the relationship between magnetic fields and immune function.

The physiological responses of the Caspian kutum (Rutilus frisii kutum) fry to the static magnetic fields with different intensities during acute and subacute exposures

In recent years, the application of new technologies producing magnetic fields has widely increased in the aquatic environment. In this study, the effects of variable static magnetic fields on metabolic and immune parameters of the Caspian kutum fry were investigated. The Caspian kutum fry (n=220, body weight 1.78±0.11 g) was exposed to static magnetic fields with different intensities (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 mT) induced by electrical power supply during acute (one week) and subacute (3 weeks) periods. The results showed an increment in the quantity of ALT and AST enzymes (metabolic parameters) with increasing magnetic fields intensities in subacute and acute exposures (p<0.05). The lysozyme level, an immune parameter, showed a significant decrease, especially at intensities higher than 2.5 mT during subacute and acute exposures (p<0.05). It seems that low-intensity static magnetic fields can effect on the metabolism and immunity of the Caspian kutum fry as valuable commercial species.

Magnetic brain stimulation upregulates adhesion and prevents Eae: MMP-2, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 in the choroid plexus as a target

Clinical signs appearance and significant increases of ICAM-1 and MMP-2 expressions with the clusters of VCAM-1(+) immunoreactivity in the choroids plexus epithelium to transferred anti-myelin oligodendroglial antibodies into the third brain ventricle, indicate important role of choroids plexus in the induction of acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Magnetic brain stimulation with AKMA micro-magnet flux density of 60 miliTesla, 5 mm in diameter, implanted upon the pineal gland (PG), immediately after antibody injection, significantly decreases the expression of MMP-2 and ICAM-1 in the choroids plexus of the rat brain and abruptly suppresses the induction of acute EAE.

Effects of the Electromagnetic field, 60 Hz, 3 µT, on the hormonal and metabolic regulation of undernourished pregnant rats

Epidemiological studies have implicated maternal protein-calorie deficiency as an important public health problem in developing countries. Over the last decades, a remarkable diffusion of electricity and an increased level of the electromagnetic field (EMF) in the environment have characterized modern societies. Therefore, researchers are concerned with the biological effects of 50-60 Hz, EMF. The aim of this paper is to show the effects of EMF of 60 Hz, 3 μT, exposure for two hours per day in the regulation of the hormonal and metabolic concentrations in pregnant rats, which were fed by Regional Basic Diet (RBD) during their pregnancy as compared with pregnant rats fed a standard diet. Pregnant rats exposed to EMF of 60 Hz, 3 μT, over the pregnancy and fed with RBD presented an increase in glucose release when compared with the Group subjected only to the RBD ration. Rats fed RBD presented a decrease in their insulin and cortisol serum levels when compared with the Group fed with casein. The T3 and T4 concentrations presented the greatest variation among the Groups. The relation T4:T3 was much exaggerated in the Group subjected to RDB and exposed to EMF when compared to the others. In conclusion, the group subjected to the association of EMF and undernutrition suffered a decrease in its serum concentration of T4 and T3 when compared to the well-nourished group and the relationship T4:T3 in the former group was almost eighteen-fold the later one.