초록/요약

The increased use of mobile phones has generated public concern about the impact of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) on health. In the present study, we investigated whether RF-EMFs induce molecular changes in amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and amyloid beta (A)-related memory impairment in the 5xFAD mouse, which is a widely used amyloid animal model. The 5xFAD mice at the age of 1.5 months were assigned to two groups (RF-EMF- and sham-exposed groups, eight mice per group). The RF-EMF group was placed in a reverberation chamber and exposed to 1950MHz electromagnetic fields for 3 months (SAR 5W/kg, 2h/day, 5 days/week). The Y-maze, Morris water maze, and novel object recognition memory test were used to evaluate spatial and non-spatial memory following 3-month RF-EMF exposure. Furthermore, A deposition and APP and carboxyl-terminal fragment (CTF) levels were evaluated in the hippocampus and cortex of 5xFAD mice, and plasma levels of A peptides were also investigated. In behavioral tests, mice that were exposed to RF-EMF for 3 months did not exhibit differences in spatial and non-spatial memory compared to the sham-exposed group, and no apparent change was evident in locomotor activity. Consistent with behavioral data, RF-EMF did not alter APP and CTF levels or A deposition in the brains of the 5xFAD mice. These findings indicate that 3-month RF-EMF exposure did not affect A-related memory impairment or A accumulation in the 5xFAD Alzheimer's disease model. Bioelectromagnetics. 37:391-399, 2016. (c) 2016 The Authors Bioelectromagnetics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Bioelectromagnetics Society.