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Microwave fields have little effect on α‐synuclein aggregation in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Parkinson's disease
Author(s) -
de Pomerai David I.,
Iqbal Nooria,
Lafayette Ivan,
Nagarajan Archana,
Kaviani Moghadam Mehri,
Fineberg April,
Reader Tom,
Greedy Steve,
Smartt Chris,
Thomas David W.P.
Publication year - 2016
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.21959
Subject(s) - caenorhabditis elegans , yellow fluorescent protein , förster resonance energy transfer , biophysics , green fluorescent protein , fluorescence , protein aggregation , parkinson's disease , microbiology and biotechnology , cyan , chemistry , biology , neuroscience , biochemistry , medicine , disease , physics , gene , pathology , quantum mechanics , optics
Potential health effects of radiofrequency (RF) radiation from mobile phones arouse widespread public concern. RF fields from handheld devices near the brain might trigger or aggravate brain tumors or neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Aggregation of neural α‐synuclein (S) is central to PD pathophysiology, and invertebrate models expressing human S have helped elucidate factors affecting the aggregation process. We have recently developed a transgenic strain of Caenorhabditis elegans carrying two S constructs: SC tagged with cyan (C) blue fluorescent protein (CFP), and SV with the Venus (V) variant of yellow fluorescent protein (YFP). During S aggregation in these SC+SV worms, CFP, and YFP tags are brought close enough to allow Foerster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). As a positive control, S aggregation was promoted at low Hg 2+ concentrations, whereas higher concentrations activated stress‐response genes. Using two different exposure systems described previously, we tested whether RF fields (1.0 GHz CW, 0.002‐0.02 W kg −1 ; 1.8 GHz CW or GSM, 1.8 W kg −1 ) could influence S aggregation in SC+SV worms. YFP fluorescence in similar SV‐only worms provided internal controls, which should show opposite changes due to FRET quenching during S aggregation. No statistically significant changes were observed over several independent runs at 2.5, 24, or 96 h. Although our worm model is sensitive to chemical promoters of aggregation, no similar effects were attributable to RF exposures. Bioelectromagnetics. 37:116–129, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.