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Neuroprotective Effect of Low Frequency-Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in Ischemic Stroke

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Abstract

Low frequency-pulsed electromagnetic fields (LF-PEMFs) affect many biological processes; however, the fundamental mechanisms responsible for these effects remain unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of LF-PEMFs on neuroprotection after ischemic stroke. C57B6 mice were exposed to LF-PEMF (F = 60 Hz, Bm = 10 mT) after photothrombotic occlusion. We measured the BDNF/TrkB/Akt signaling pathway, pro-apoptotic and pro-survival protein and gene expressions, and the expression of inflammatory mediators and performed behavioral tests in both LF-PEMF-treated and untreated ischemic stroke mice. Our results showed that LF-PEMF treatment promotes activation of the BDNF/TrkB/Akt signaling pathway. Subsequently, pro-survival proteins were significantly increased, while pro-apoptotic proteins and inflammatory mediators were decreased in ischemic stroke mice after LF-PEMF treatment. The results demonstrated that LF-PEMF exposure has a neuroprotective effect after ischemic stroke in mice during the recovery process.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Pioneer Research Center Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning (grant number 2009-0082941).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Biotechnology, Dongguk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Enerelt Urnukhsaikhan, Jung-Keug Park & Young-Kwon Seo

  2. Department of Biophysics, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Tsogbadrakh Mishig-Ochir

  3. Graduate School of Bio and Information Technology, Hankyong National University, Anseong-si, Kyonggi-do, South Korea

    Soo-Chan Kim

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  1. Enerelt Urnukhsaikhan
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Correspondence to Young-Kwon Seo.

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Urnukhsaikhan, E., Mishig-Ochir, T., Kim, SC. et al. Neuroprotective Effect of Low Frequency-Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in Ischemic Stroke. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 181, 1360–1371 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-016-2289-z

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