Natalia Cichon, Joanna Saluk-Bijak, Elzbieta Miller, Tomasz Sliwinski, Ewelina Synowiec, Paulina Wigner, Michal Bijak
Department of General Biochemistry, University of Lodz, Poland
DOI: 10.2340/16501977-2623

Background: Activation of immunologically competent cells results in the overproduction of pro-inflammatory factors, and causes progression of nerve tissue damage. However, the potential neuroprotective effects of these factors in brain damage have not been well investigated.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) treatment on the molecular mechanism of inflammatory cytokine activity in post-stroke patients.
Methods: All patients underwent the same rehabilitation program, but the ELF-EMF group were also given ELF-EMF treatment. Both groups have been used in our previous studies. In order to determine the plasma level of cytokines, the levels of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon-γ (INF-γ) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) were evaluated, and the level of IL-1β mRNA expression was determined.
Results: After ELF-EMF treatment, both IL-1β plasma level and IL-1β mRNA expression level, as well as IL-2 plasma level increased, while IFN-γ and TGF-β levels did not change.
Conclusion: The increased expression of IL-1β found in this study may be a response to ELF-EMF stimulation. It is hypothesized that a neuroprotective role of this cytokine may occur due to IL-1β-dependent regulation of neurotrophic factors. Further research is needed to explore this hypothesis.

During stroke, overproduction of pro-inflammatory factors occurs, which leads to the progression of brain damage. However, current knowledge indicates that these factors may also impact on protective processes in brain tissue, but this has not been well investigated. This study evaluated the effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field treatment on the molecular mechanism of inflammatory cytokine activity in patients after stroke. A total of 48 patients were included in the study and were divided into 2 groups. Both groups have been used in our previous studies. All patients underwent the same rehabilitation program, but the study group also given magnetotherapy. Levels of interleukin 1β plasma, interleukin 1β mRNA expression, and interleukin 2 plasma increased after magnetotherapy. The increased expression of interleukin 1β may be a response to electromagnetic field stimulation, and it is possible that this cytokine has a neuroprotective role; however, further research is needed to explore this hypothesis