Anthropogenic Electromagnetic Radiation Alters the Transcription Levels of the Genes Encoding the SIFamide and Myoinhibitory Peptide and Their Receptors in Ixodes Ricinus Synganglion

Overview

Journal Parasitol Res

Specialty Parasitology

Date 2024 Aug 21

PMID 39167261

Authors

Livia Sofrankova

Miroslav Banas

Natalia Pipova

Igor Majlath

Juraj Kurimsky

Roman Cimbala

Jan Zbojovsky

Ladislav Simo

Viktoria Majlathova

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The research of the influences of man-made electromagnetic fields on tick physiology has been very sparse and long neglected since the pioneer studies published in 1996 and 2000. Once multiple behavioral tests confirmed an attraction and possible perception of electromagnetic fields in ticks, a new interest in this topic erupted in recent years. In this study, qRT-PCR is utilized to determine the changes in the mRNA transcript levels of neuropeptides SIFamide and myoinhibitory peptide (mip and sifa) and their representative receptors (mip-r1 and sifa-r1) in the synganglia of the tick Ixodes ricinus irradiated by 900 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic field. It was determined that 40 V/m intensity has a significant suppressory effect on the transcript levels of all genes after at least 60 minutes of constant exposure in both sexes. Commonly occurring intensity of radiation in urban areas (2 V/m) produced an elevation in mRNA levels after various timespans in every gene. A significant decrease of transcript abundances was detected in females after one hour of exposure to 2 V/m. Results of this study widen the knowledge of EMF-induced alterations in the neurophysiology of I. ricinus, the most commonly distributed hard tick in Europe.

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