Abstract
Background: Whether electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure affects the function of the cardiovascular system is under debate. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of 500 μT EMF exposure on the cardiovascular system in rats.Methods: Forty-eight-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: the sham group and the exposure group. During 24-week EMF exposure (20 h per day), the blood pressure and pulse rate were recorded every 4 weeks. Before sacrifice, electrocardiography, echocardiography, and cardiac catheterization analysis were conducted to evaluate the cardiac function. Meanwhile, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Western blot, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed to identify morphological and molecular changes indicative of cardiac remodeling.Results: The heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse rate were not influenced by EMF exposure compared with the control group. In addition, HE staining showed no change in the morphology and arrangement of cardiomyocytes. Further, we found that the mRNA and protein levels of cardiac hypertrophy-related genes were not affected by EMF exposure. Finally, no significant difference was observed in cardiac function between the two groups by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization detection.Conclusion: The 24-week exposure to EMF at 500 μT did not have apparent effects on the cardiovascular system in rats, at least for the variables studied.
Highlights
In past decades, with the development of science and technology, many electrical devices and equipment that can generate electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have brought great convenience to our daily life
Exposure to a 50-Hz EMF at 500 μT Had No Effect on Cardiac Rhythm
In order to investigate the effects of 500 μT EMF on cardiac rhythm, the treated rats were subjected to electrocardiogram examination
Summary
With the development of science and technology, many electrical devices and equipment that can generate electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have brought great convenience to our daily life. The probability of exposure to these EMFs is increasing dramatically [1]. Thun-Battersby et al [11] revealed that exposure to a 50-Hz EMF at 100 μT for 27 weeks (24 h per day) accelerated the growth of mammary tumor in DMBA-treated breast cancer rat. Similar results were observed by Mevissen et al [12] who exposed DMBA-treated breast cancer rats to a 50-Hz EMF at 50 μT for 91 days (24 h per day), and Rannug et al [13] who employed intermittent exposure of 50-Hz at 50 and 0.5 μT, respectively, for 104 weeks (19– 21 h per day) on SENCAR skin tumor mice [13]. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of 500 μT EMF exposure on the cardiovascular system in rats
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