Effects of Pulsed Magnetic Stimulation on GFAP Levels in Cultured Astrocytes

✍ Scribed by Philip Chan; Lawrence F. Eng; Yuen Ling Lee; Vernon W.H. Lin

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 581 KB
• Volume: 55
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0360-4012
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4547(19990115)55:2<238::aid-jnr11>3.0.co;2-t

✦ Synopsis

The present study evaluates the physiological effects of magnetic stimulation on astrocyte cultures. Cell cultures were exposed to pulsed magnetic stimulation (10 Hz, 10 sec) at the following levels: 0.10 tesla (T; Group A); 0.21 T (Group B); 0.42 T (Group C); and 0.63 T (Group D). Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels from immunoblots, total protein concentrations, and cellular morphology were analyzed at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 13, and 20 days poststimulation. Significantly higher GFAP levels were observed in Group D at day 3 (P = 0.0114). The change was transient as the GFAP levels quickly returned to control levels by day 5. No other significant changes in GFAP levels were observed. In comparison to control protein levels at day 0, concentrations from Groups B, C, and D were significantly lower (P < 0.006), whereas at day 3, Groups C and D were significantly higher (P < 0.02). Differences in astrocyte morphology due to magnetic stimulation were not observed. This study demonstrated that high intensity magnetic stimulation for only 10 sec induced a transient biological response.