Effect of electromagnetic field radiation on transcriptomic profile and DNA methylation level in pig conceptuses during the peri-implantation period

Abstract Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) radiation alters the steroidogenic activity of porcine conceptuses during the peri-implantation period. This study investigated whether short exposure (2 h) to ELF-EMF radiation may induce changes in the transcriptomic profile of conce...

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Main Authors: Anita Franczak, Agata Zmijewska, Ewa Monika Drzewiecka, Wiktoria Kozlowska, Pawel Wydorski, Lukasz Paukszto, Tiziana L. Brevini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98918-9
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author Anita Franczak
Agata Zmijewska
Ewa Monika Drzewiecka
Wiktoria Kozlowska
Pawel Wydorski
Lukasz Paukszto
Tiziana L. Brevini
author_facet Anita Franczak
Agata Zmijewska
Ewa Monika Drzewiecka
Wiktoria Kozlowska
Pawel Wydorski
Lukasz Paukszto
Tiziana L. Brevini
author_sort Anita Franczak
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) radiation alters the steroidogenic activity of porcine conceptuses during the peri-implantation period. This study investigated whether short exposure (2 h) to ELF-EMF radiation may induce changes in the transcriptomic profile of conceptuses and their DNA methylation levels, with a focus on the promoter regions of differentially expressed genes of interest. Porcine conceptuses were collected on days 15–16 of pregnancy, preincubated, and then exposed in vitro to ELF-EMF at a frequency of 50 Hz. ELF-EMF treatment affected the expression of 21 protein-coding transcripts, including solute carrier family 34 member 1 (SLC34A1), hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase 2 (HSD17B2), apolipoprotein M (APOM), regucalcin (RGN), heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 6 (HSPA6), fibrinogen beta chain, and fibrinogen gamma chain (FGG). There were evaluated 21 GO annotations for biological process terms, nine GO annotations for cellular component terms and two KEGG pathways. The ELF-EMF exposure increased approximately 16 times genomic DNA methylation in conceptuses. ELF-EMF-induced changes in methylation were observed in the promoter regions of APOM, HSD17B2, FGG, and SLC34A1. The results determined 116 predicted single nucleotide variant substitutions within RNA editing sites. In conclusion, ELF-EMF radiation appears to interact with DNA methylation levels and to affect the expression of genes involved mainly in cellular homeostasis, conceptuses development, and attachment, suggesting the need for further investigation to elucidate better the impact of ELF-EMF exposure on the physiology of early conceptuses.
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spelling doaj-art-0acb4f092d3b4b9ba77ea9a8f4225ba32025-08-20T02:19:07ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115112110.1038/s41598-025-98918-9Effect of electromagnetic field radiation on transcriptomic profile and DNA methylation level in pig conceptuses during the peri-implantation periodAnita Franczak0Agata Zmijewska1Ewa Monika Drzewiecka2Wiktoria Kozlowska3Pawel Wydorski4Lukasz Paukszto5Tiziana L. Brevini6Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in OlsztynDepartment of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in OlsztynDepartment of Gamete and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences in OlsztynDepartment of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in OlsztynDepartment of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in OlsztynDepartment of Botany and Nature Protection, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in OlsztynLaboratory of Biomedical Embryology, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Center for Stem Cell Research, Università degli Studi di MilanoAbstract Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) radiation alters the steroidogenic activity of porcine conceptuses during the peri-implantation period. This study investigated whether short exposure (2 h) to ELF-EMF radiation may induce changes in the transcriptomic profile of conceptuses and their DNA methylation levels, with a focus on the promoter regions of differentially expressed genes of interest. Porcine conceptuses were collected on days 15–16 of pregnancy, preincubated, and then exposed in vitro to ELF-EMF at a frequency of 50 Hz. ELF-EMF treatment affected the expression of 21 protein-coding transcripts, including solute carrier family 34 member 1 (SLC34A1), hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase 2 (HSD17B2), apolipoprotein M (APOM), regucalcin (RGN), heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 6 (HSPA6), fibrinogen beta chain, and fibrinogen gamma chain (FGG). There were evaluated 21 GO annotations for biological process terms, nine GO annotations for cellular component terms and two KEGG pathways. The ELF-EMF exposure increased approximately 16 times genomic DNA methylation in conceptuses. ELF-EMF-induced changes in methylation were observed in the promoter regions of APOM, HSD17B2, FGG, and SLC34A1. The results determined 116 predicted single nucleotide variant substitutions within RNA editing sites. In conclusion, ELF-EMF radiation appears to interact with DNA methylation levels and to affect the expression of genes involved mainly in cellular homeostasis, conceptuses development, and attachment, suggesting the need for further investigation to elucidate better the impact of ELF-EMF exposure on the physiology of early conceptuses.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98918-9Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fieldNext-generation sequencingDNA methylationConceptusesPig
spellingShingle Anita Franczak
Agata Zmijewska
Ewa Monika Drzewiecka
Wiktoria Kozlowska
Pawel Wydorski
Lukasz Paukszto
Tiziana L. Brevini
Effect of electromagnetic field radiation on transcriptomic profile and DNA methylation level in pig conceptuses during the peri-implantation period
Scientific Reports
Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field
Next-generation sequencing
DNA methylation
Conceptuses
Pig
title Effect of electromagnetic field radiation on transcriptomic profile and DNA methylation level in pig conceptuses during the peri-implantation period
title_full Effect of electromagnetic field radiation on transcriptomic profile and DNA methylation level in pig conceptuses during the peri-implantation period
title_fullStr Effect of electromagnetic field radiation on transcriptomic profile and DNA methylation level in pig conceptuses during the peri-implantation period
title_full_unstemmed Effect of electromagnetic field radiation on transcriptomic profile and DNA methylation level in pig conceptuses during the peri-implantation period
title_short Effect of electromagnetic field radiation on transcriptomic profile and DNA methylation level in pig conceptuses during the peri-implantation period
title_sort effect of electromagnetic field radiation on transcriptomic profile and dna methylation level in pig conceptuses during the peri implantation period
topic Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field
Next-generation sequencing
DNA methylation
Conceptuses
Pig
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98918-9
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