Effects of modulation on sodium and potassium channel currents by extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields stimulation on hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells

ABSTRACT

To investigate the effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) stimulation on sodium channel currents (I_Na), transient outward potassium channel currents (I_A) and delayed rectifier potassium channel currents (I_K) on hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons of young Sprague–Dawley rats. CA1 pyramidal neurons of rat hippocampal slices were subjected to ELF-EMFs stimulation with different frequencies (15 and 50 Hz), intensities (0.5, 1 and 2 mT) and durations (10, 20 and 30 min). The I_Na, I_A and I_K of neurons were recorded by a whole-cell patch-clamp method. ELF-EMFs stimulation enhanced I_Na densities, and depressed I_A and I_K densities. In detail, I_Na was more sensitive to the variation of intensities and frequencies of ELF-EMFs, whereas I_A and I_K were mainly affected by the variation of the duration of ELF-EMFs. ELF-EMFs stimulation altered activation and deactivation properties of I_Na, I_A and I_K. ELF-EMFs stimulation plays a role as a regulator rather than an inducer for ion channels. It might change the transition probability of ion channel opening or closing, and might also change the structure and function of the ion channel which need to be proved by the further technical method.

KEYWORDS:

• Extreme Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields
• sodium Currents
• transient Potassium Currents
• delayed Rectifier Potassium Currents
• hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Cells

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (62071329,61871288), Shanghai Sailing Program of China (18YF1407400) and the National Science Foundation of Tianjin (20JCYBJC00130).

Disclosure statement

The author declares no conflict of interest.