Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field induces acetylation of heat shock proteins and enhances protein folding

The pervasive weak electromagnetic fields (EMF) inundate the industrialized society, but the biological effects of EMF as weak as 10 µT have been scarcely analyzed. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are molecular chaperones that mediate a sequential stress response. HSP70 and HSP90 provide cells under undesirable situations with either assisting covalent folding of proteins or degrading improperly folded proteins in an ATP-dependent manner. Here we examined the effect of extremely low-frequency (ELF)-EMF on AML12 and HEK293 cells. Although the protein expression levels of HSP70 and HSP90 were reduced after an exposure to ELF-EMF for 3 h, acetylations of HSP70 and HSP90 were increased, which was followed by an enhanced binding affinities of HSP70 and HSP90 for HSP70/HSP90-organizing protein (HOP/STIP1). After 3 h exposure to ELF-EMF, the amount of mitochondria was reduced but the ATP level and the maximal mitochondrial oxygen consumption were increased, which was followed by the reduced protein aggregates and the increased cell viability. Thus, ELF-EMF exposure for 3 h activated acetylation of HSPs to enhance protein folding, which was returned to the basal level at 12 h. The proteostatic effects of ELF-EMF will be able to be applied to treat pathological states in humans. [Display omitted] •We previously showed that ELF-EMF at 10 µT induces mitochondrial hormesis.•In AML12 and HEK293 cells, ELF-EMF markedly increased acetylation of HSP70/90 at 3 h.•In both cells, ELF-EMF markedly increased binding of HSP70/90 to HOP/STIP1 at 3 h.•In both cells, ELF-EMF reduced protein aggregates and enhanced cell viability at 3 h.•In both cells, ELF-EMF reduced mitochondria mass and elevated maximal oxygen consumption at 3 h.