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Electromagnetic pulse activated brain microglia via the p38 MAPK pathway

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Yang LL, Zhou Y, Tian WD, Li HJ, Kang-Chu-Li, Miao X, An GZ, Wang XW, Guo GZ, Ding GR · 2016

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Electromagnetic pulse exposure activated microglia in rat brain and affected their secretory function, with the p38 MAPK pathway involved in the process.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers investigated whether electromagnetic pulse (EMP) exposure could activate brain microglia via the p38 MAPK pathway in rats. The expression of OX-42, a marker of microglia activation, increased significantly at 1, 6 and 12 hours after EMP exposure, then recovered to sham group levels at 24 hours. Levels of NO, TNF-α and IL-10 also changed significantly in vivo and in vitro after EMP exposure. Results suggested that EMP exposure at 200 kV/m, 200 pulses could activate microglia in rat brain and affect its secretory function, with the p38 pathway involved.

Why This Matters

To assess microglia activation, researchers measured OX-42 expression and levels of TNF-α, IL-10, IL-1β, and NO in the rat cerebral cortex after EMP exposure. Protein and phosphorylated protein levels of p38 increased significantly after EMP exposure, then recovered to sham levels at 12 and 24 hours, respectively. By contrast, protein and phosphorylated protein levels of ERK and JNK did not change. When a p38 inhibitor called SB203580 was used, it partly prevented the changes in NO, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels induced by EMP exposure.

Exposure Details

Electric Field
200000 V/m
Exposure Duration
12 and 24 h

Exposure Context

This study used 200000 V/m for electric fields:

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Study Details

To investigate microglia activation could occur in the brain after EMP exposure via the p38 MAPK pathway

To test this hypothesis, the morphology and secretory function of microglia cells, including the exp...

It was found that the expression of OX-42increased significantly at 1, 6 and 12 h (p < 0.05) and rec...

Taken together, these results suggested that EMP exposure (200 kV/m, 200 pulses) could activate microglia in rat brain and affect its secretory function both in vivo and in vitro, and the p38 pathway is involved in this process.

Cite This Study
Yang LL, Zhou Y, Tian WD, Li HJ, Kang-Chu-Li, Miao X, An GZ, Wang XW, Guo GZ, Ding GR (2016). Electromagnetic pulse activated brain microglia via the p38 MAPK pathway Neurotoxicology. 52:144-149, 2016.
Show BibTeX
@article{ll_2016_electromagnetic_pulse_activated_brain_483,
  author = {Yang LL and Zhou Y and Tian WD and Li HJ and Kang-Chu-Li and Miao X and An GZ and Wang XW and Guo GZ and Ding GR},
  title = {Electromagnetic pulse activated brain microglia via the p38 MAPK pathway},
  year = {2016},
  
  url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0161813X15300413},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

The study examined EMP exposure at 200 kV/m, 200 pulses in rats.
OX-42 expression increased significantly at 1, 6 and 12 hours after EMP exposure, then recovered to sham group levels at 24 hours.
p38 and phosphorylated p38 protein levels increased significantly after EMP exposure, but ERK and JNK protein and phosphorylated protein levels did not change.
The p38 inhibitor SB203580 partly prevented the changes in NO, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels that were induced by EMP exposure.
The results suggested that the p38 pathway is involved in EMP-induced microglia activation and changes in secretory function.