Gender differences in effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to electromagnetic field and prenatal zinc on behaviour and synaptic proteins in rats

Abstract

Gender differences in effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to electromagnetic field and prenatal zinc on behaviour and synaptic proteins in rats Burcu Acikgoz, Nevin Ersoy, Ilkay Aksu, Amac Kiray, Husnu Alper Bagriyanik, Muge Kiray. Gender differences in effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to electromagnetic field and prenatal zinc on behaviour and synaptic proteins in rats. J Chem Neuroanat. 2022 Mar 29;122:102092. doi: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2022.102092. Highlights • Electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure may affect the levels of synaptic proteins in the developing brain. • EMF exposure has no effect on social behaviour but may affect activity and anxiety. • Zinc supplementation has a partially positive effect on female, but not male rats. Abstract Humans are exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) from various sources throughout life. Because humans are easily impacted by environmental factors during early development, it is believed that EMF can cause structural and functional changes on the developing brain that may lead to behavioural changes. This paper investigates the impact of EMF exposure and zinc supplementation during the prenatal and postnatal periods on behavioural changes and synaptic proteins in a gender-dependent manner. Pups from four groups of pregnant rats were used: Sham, EMF (5 days/wk, 4 h/day EMF-exposure applied), Sham+Zinc (5 days/wk, 5 mg/kg/day zinc applied) and EMF+Zinc (5 days/wk, 4 h/day EMF-exposure and 5 mg/kg/day zinc applied). EMF exposure and zinc supplementation were initiated from the first day of pregnancy to the 42nd postnatal day. Zinc levels in blood, NLGN3 and SHANK3 levels in hippocampus and amygdala, and synaptic structures in amygdala were examined. Behavioural tests showed that EMF exposure had no effect on social behaviour, but adversely affected activity and exploratory behaviour, and led to increased anxiety formation. Zinc supplementation had a partially positive effect on female, but not male offspring. SHANK3 and NLGN3 proteins were significantly lower in EMF groups, however, no positive effect of zinc supplementation was found. In conclusion, EMF exposure may alter the levels of synaptic proteins in the developing brain, leading to behavioural changes in a gender-dependent manner. Evaluation of zinc supplementation at different doses could be beneficial to prevent or reduce the behavioural and structural effects of EMF. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

In behavioural tests, EMF exposure had no effect on social behaviour but adversely affected activity and exploratory behaviour and increased anxiety. SHANK3 and NLGN3 protein levels in hippocampus and amygdala were significantly lower in EMF groups; zinc supplementation showed a partially positive effect on female (but not male) offspring for behavioural outcomes, and no positive effect on SHANK3/NLGN3 levels was found.

Outcomes measured

• Social behaviour
• Activity
• Exploratory behaviour
• Anxiety-like behaviour
• Blood zinc levels
• Hippocampal SHANK3 protein levels
• Hippocampal NLGN3 protein levels
• Amygdala SHANK3 protein levels
• Amygdala NLGN3 protein levels
• Synaptic structures in amygdala

Limitations

• EMF exposure parameters (e.g., frequency, intensity/SAR) not reported in the abstract
• Sample size not reported in the abstract
• Animal model; generalizability to humans is uncertain
• Details of behavioural tests and synaptic-structure assessment methods not provided in the abstract

Suggested hubs

• animal-studies (0.9)
  Rat prenatal/postnatal EMF exposure with behavioural and neuroprotein outcomes.

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    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": null,
        "source": null,
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "Prenatal day 1 through postnatal day 42; 5 days/week, 4 h/day EMF exposure"
    },
    "population": "Pregnant rats and offspring (pups), with outcomes assessed in male and female offspring",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Social behaviour",
        "Activity",
        "Exploratory behaviour",
        "Anxiety-like behaviour",
        "Blood zinc levels",
        "Hippocampal SHANK3 protein levels",
        "Hippocampal NLGN3 protein levels",
        "Amygdala SHANK3 protein levels",
        "Amygdala NLGN3 protein levels",
        "Synaptic structures in amygdala"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In behavioural tests, EMF exposure had no effect on social behaviour but adversely affected activity and exploratory behaviour and increased anxiety. SHANK3 and NLGN3 protein levels in hippocampus and amygdala were significantly lower in EMF groups; zinc supplementation showed a partially positive effect on female (but not male) offspring for behavioural outcomes, and no positive effect on SHANK3/NLGN3 levels was found.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "EMF exposure parameters (e.g., frequency, intensity/SAR) not reported in the abstract",
        "Sample size not reported in the abstract",
        "Animal model; generalizability to humans is uncertain",
        "Details of behavioural tests and synaptic-structure assessment methods not provided in the abstract"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "electromagnetic field",
        "EMF",
        "prenatal exposure",
        "postnatal exposure",
        "zinc supplementation",
        "sex differences",
        "gender-dependent",
        "behaviour",
        "anxiety",
        "exploratory behaviour",
        "activity",
        "synaptic proteins",
        "SHANK3",
        "NLGN3",
        "hippocampus",
        "amygdala",
        "rats"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
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            "reason": "Rat prenatal/postnatal EMF exposure with behavioural and neuroprotein outcomes."
        }
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}

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