50-Hz magnetic field impairs the expression of iron-related genes in the in vitro SOD1^G93A model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract

Purpose: We characterized the response to the extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) in an in vitro model of familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (fALS), carrying two mutant variants of the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene.

Materials and methods: SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells, stably over-expressing the wild type, the G93A or the H46R mutant SOD1 cDNA, were exposed to either the ELF-MF (50 Hz, 1 mT) or the sham control field, up to 72 h. Analysis of (i) viability, proliferation and apoptosis, (ii) reactive oxygen species generation, and (iii) assessment of the iron metabolism, were carried out in all clones in response to the MF exposure.

Results: We report that 50-Hz MF exposure induces: (i) no change in proliferation and viability; (ii) no modulation of the intracellular superoxide and H₂O₂ levels; (iii) a significant deregulation in the expression of iron-related genes IRP1, MFRN1 and TfR1, this evidence being exclusive for the SOD1^G93A clone and associated with a slight (p = .0512) difference in the total iron content.

Conclusions: 50-Hz MF affects iron homeostasis in the in vitro SOD1^G93A ALS model.

Keywords:

• Extremely low frequency magnetic field
• fALS
• SOD1
• G93A
• iron
• in vitro

Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to Francesca Pacchierotti for her helpful criticisms and scientific support.

Disclosure statement

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Claudia Consales

Claudia Consales, PhD, is a Researcher at the ENEA-Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Rome. Her research interests include biological and health effects of non-ionizing radiations, in particular on nervous system, for both protectionist aspects and therapeutic applications.

Martina Panatta

Martina Panatta, MSc in Molecular and Cellular Biology, is currently doing an internship as a Pre-doc student at the University of Zurich where her main research interest is the epigenetic regulation of both physiological and pathological processes.

Alessio Butera

Alessio Butera, PhD student, is Early Stage researcher at the Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery of the University of Rome Tor Vergata. His research interests include biochemical and molecular analyses of skin structure and function.

Giuseppe Filomeni

Giuseppe Filomeni, PhD and Professor at the Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, has a long-term expertise in mitochondrial homeostasis and redox signaling cascades and, more recently, his research interest focused on the in vivo implications of the S-nitrosoglutathione reductase in cancer and aging-associated neuromuscular diseases.

Caterina Merla

Caterina Merla, PhD, is a Researcher at the ENEA-Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Rome. Her research interests include biological effects (in vitro and in vivo) and associated biophysical mechanisms of interaction elicited by non-ionizing radiations. She is also active in development new technologies and advanced dosimetric and microdosimetric models for ultrashort electric pulses applications in therapeutic treatments.

Maria Teresa Carrì

Maria Teresa Carrì, PhD, was a Full Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Over her long carrier, she investigated different molecular aspects underlying the pathophysiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases, by addressing her interest mainly on SOD1 gene mutation.

Carmela Marino

Carmela Marino, PhD, is the Head of the Division of Health Protection Technologies in ENEA in Rome. Her research experience involves several studies on the biological effect of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation for cancer therapy, mainly in in vivo system, and more recently the risk assessment of the electromagnetic fields on human health.

Barbara Benassi

Barbara Benassi, PhD, is a Researcher at at the ENEA-Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Rome. Her research focuses on the molecular and epigenetic characterization of the biological response to environmental factors and toxic agents, including non-ionizing radiations, in different in vitro experimental models.