Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2010, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (40): 7588-7592.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2010.40.041

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Effects of prenatal pulsed electromagnetic fields on neural stem cell proliferation and nestin protein expression in the hippocampus of rat offspring

Li Xia1, Chen Rui2, Jia Ning3, Li Hui 4, Zhu Zhong-liang5   

  1. 1 Psychiatric Department, Shanxi Corps Hospital of Chinese People’s Armed Police Forces, Taiyuan   030006, Shanxi Province, China; 2 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an   710021, Shaanxi Province, China; 3 Department of Pathophysiology, 4 Department of Pediatrics of the First Affiliated Hospital, 5 Department of Pharmacology, Medical School of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an   710061, Shaanxi Province, China
  • Online:2010-10-01 Published:2010-10-01
  • Contact: Zhu Zhong-liang, Doctor, Professor, Investigator, Department of Pharmacology, Medical School of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
  • About author:Li Xia★, Master, Attending physician, Psychiatric Department, Shanxi Corps Hospital of Chinese People’s Armed Police Forces, Forces Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi Province, China muyu77@sina.com
  • Supported by:

     the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30970952*

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Electromagnetic fields can cause changes of the body, especially the nervous system. Effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) on neural stem cells has been detected.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of prenatal pulsed electromagnetic fields (PPEMFs) on neural stem cell proliferation and nestin protein expression in the hippocampus of rat offspring.
METHODS: Sprague Dawley female rats weighing 240-260 g were included and randomly divided into two groups: control and PPEMFs. Rats from the control group were given no interventions. Rats from the PPEMFs group were given PEMFs stress at gestational days 14-20. Each stress was given three times daily for 10 minutes. The male and female offspring rats were sacrificed at 1 month of age and their brains were sectioned to determine the expression of nestin protein and Brdu-positive cells in the hippocampus by immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS: The expression of nestin- and Brdu-positive cells in the hippocampus of female and male PEMFS offspring were significantly higher compared with the control group (P < 0.001), and there was a significant difference between female and male offspring (P < 0.001). The nestin- and Brdu-positive cells in female offspring outnumbered those in male offspring (P < 0.001); however, there was no significant difference between female and male offspring in the control group (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSION: PPEMFs can increase the number and proliferative capability of the neural stem cells in offspring. It may be a primary stage of the cascade reaction of the body to the brain damage caused by PPEMFs stress.

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