Radical pairs may explain reactive oxygen species-mediated effects of hypomagnetic field on neurogenesis

PLoS Comput Biol. 2022 Jun 2;18(6):e1010198. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010198. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Exposures to a hypomagnetic field can affect biological processes. Recently, it has been observed that hypomagnetic field exposure can adversely affect adult hippocampal neurogenesis and hippocampus-dependent cognition in mice. In the same study, the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hypomagnetic field effects has been demonstrated. However, the mechanistic reasons behind this effect are not clear. This study proposes a radical pair mechanism based on a flavin-superoxide radical pair to explain the modulation of ROS production and the attenuation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in a hypomagnetic field. The results of our calculations favor a singlet-born radical pair over a triplet-born radical pair. Our model predicts hypomagnetic field effects on the triplet/singlet yield of comparable strength as the effects observed in experimental studies on adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Our predictions are in qualitative agreement with experimental results on superoxide concentration and other observed ROS effects. We also predict the effects of applied magnetic fields and oxygen isotopic substitution on adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Magnetic Fields*
  • Mice
  • Neurogenesis*
  • Reactive Oxygen Species

Substances

  • Reactive Oxygen Species

Grants and funding

C.S. was supported by an NSERC Discovery Grant RGPIN-2020-03945. (https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/index_eng.asp) The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.