Synaptosome behaviour is unaffected by weak pulsed electromagnetic fields

• Published in: Bioelectromagnetics Vol. 28; no. 6; pp. 477 - 483
• Main Authors: Aldinucci, C., Carretta, A., Maiorca, S., Rossi, V., Ciccoli, L., Pessina, G.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.09.2007
• Subjects: Animals; Cells, Cultured; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; electromagnetic field; Electromagnetic Fields; free iron release; free radicals; Male; membrane potential; Mitochondria - physiology; Mitochondria - radiation effects; Mitochondrial Membranes - physiology; Mitochondrial Membranes - radiation effects; Oxygen Consumption - drug effects; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Radiation Dosage; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; synaptosomes; Synaptosomes - physiology; Synaptosomes - radiation effects
• ISSN: 0197-8462; 1521-186X
• DOI: 10.1002/bem.20322

The present study examined the effect on rat cortical synaptosomes of a 2 h exposure to 50‐Hz electromagnetic fields (EMFs) with a peak magnetic field of 2 mT. We measured modifications of synaptosomal mitochondrial respiration rate, ATP production, membrane potential, intrasynaptosomal Ca2+ concentration and free iron release. The O2 consumption remained unvaried in exposed synaptosomes at about 2 nM O2/min/mg proteins; ATP production was also unchanged. The intrasynaptosomal Ca2+ concentration decreased slowly and there was a slight, but non‐significant, depolarisation of the synaptosomal membrane. Finally, the free iron release by synaptosomal suspensions, a useful predictor of neuro‐developmental outcome, remained unchanged after EMF exposure. On the whole, our results indicate that the physiological behaviour of cortical synaptosomes is not affected by weak pulsed EMFs. Bioelectromagnetics 28:477–483, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.