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Extremely low‐frequency magnetic fields modulate nitric oxide signaling in rat brain
Author(s) -
Cho Sung In,
Nam Yun Sung,
Chu Li Ying,
Lee Jong Hyuk,
Bang Joon Seok,
Kim Hye Ryoun,
Kim HyoungChun,
Lee Yu Jeung,
Kim HyeongDong,
Sul Jung Duk,
Kim Daejin,
Chung Yoon Hee,
Jeong Ji Hoon
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.21715
Subject(s) - striatum , hippocampus , nitric oxide , cerebral cortex , nitric oxide synthase , cresyl violet , neuroscience , bioelectromagnetics , cortex (anatomy) , chemistry , biology , endocrinology , staining , nuclear magnetic resonance , pathology , medicine , magnetic field , physics , quantum mechanics , dopamine
Our previous study has shown that an extremely low‐frequency magnetic field (ELF‐MF) induces nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by Ca 2+ ‐dependent NO synthase (NOS) in rat brain. The present study was designed to confirm that ELF‐MF affects neuronal NOS (nNOS) in several brain regions and to investigate the correlation between NO and nNOS activation. The exposure of rats to a 2 mT, 60 Hz ELF‐MF for 5 days resulted in increases of NO levels in parallel with cGMP elevations in the cerebral cortex, striatum, and hippocampus. Cresyl violet staining and electron microscopic evaluation revealed that there were no significant differences in the morphology and number of neurons in the cerebral cortex, striatum, and hippocampus. Differently, the numbers of nNOS‐immunoreactive (IR) neurons were significantly increased in those cerebral areas in ELF‐MF‐exposed rats. These data suggest that the increase in NO could be due to the increased expression and activation of nNOS in cells. Based on NO signaling in physiological and pathological states, ELF‐MF created by electric power systems may induce various physiological changes in modern life. Bioelectromagnetics 33:568–574, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.