Effect of high-frequency low-intensity pulsed electric field on protecting SH-SY5Y cells against hydrogen peroxide and β-amyloid-induced cell injury via ERK pathway

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>As the most common type of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is thought to be caused mainly by the excessive aggregation of β-amyloid protein (Aβ). However, a growing number of studies have found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in the onset and progression of AD. The present study aimed to probe the neuroprotective effect of high-frequency low-intensity pulsed electric field (H-LIPEF) for SH-SY5Y cells against hydrogen peroxide (H<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>) and Aβ-induced cytotoxicity. By looking in a systematic way into the frequency- and amplitude-dependent neuroprotective effect of pulsed electric field (PEF), the study finds that H-LIPEF at 200 Hz produces the optimal protective effect for SH-SY5Y cells. The underlying mechanisms were confirmed to be due to the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway and the downstream prosurvival and antioxidant proteins. Given that electric field can be modified to focus on specific area for application in a non-contact manner, the study proposes that H-LIPEF holds great potential for neuroprotection and curing of NDDs patients, whose effect can be further augmented with the administering of drugs or natural compounds at the same time.</jats:p>