Kim SJ et al. · 2017
Researchers examined the effects of 60 Hz 0.8 mT extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields on a macrophage cell line called RAW 264.7. Under ELF-EMF exposure, production of nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were increased, and the expression of those genes was also upregulated. Cell proliferation was not altered by ELF-EMF exposure. The researchers suggest that ELF-EMF amplifies inflammatory responses through enhanced macrophage activation and can decrease the effectiveness of antioxidants.
Yokus B, Cakir DU, Akdag MZ, Sert C, Mete N · 2005
Researchers examined the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (50 Hz, 0.97 mT) on oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in rats. Measurements of 8OHdG and TBARS were taken at 50 and 100 days to look for time-dependent changes. The 8OHdG levels of the exposed group were significantly higher than the sham group at both 50 and 100 days (p<0.001). The extent of DNA damage and lipid peroxidation appeared to depend on exposure time.
David M. Rorvik
Zheng Y, Ma XX, Dong L, Gao Y, Tian L. · 2019
Researchers applied single- and hybrid-frequency magnetic fields with an intensity of 1 mT to rat hippocampal slices in vitro to study effects on long-term potentiation (LTP) in synaptic plasticity. The amplitude of fEPSPs decreased significantly under both single- and hybrid-frequency magnetic stimulation. The 15-Hz single-frequency stimulation showed the most significant regulatory effect, but mixing it with higher frequencies significantly weakened that effect. The regulating effect among four different hybrid-frequency ELF-EMF stimulations on LTP showed no significant differences.
Dinčić M et al. · 2018
Researchers exposed Wistar albino rats to upward- or downward-oriented static magnetic fields for 50 days, then measured enzyme activities and oxidative stress markers in synaptosomes isolated from the whole rat brain. Chronic exposure to 1 mT static magnetic field significantly increased ATPase and acetylcholinesterase activities, and raised malondialdehyde levels in both exposed groups compared to controls. Synaptosomal catalase activity was significantly decreased in the group exposed to the downward-oriented field compared to both the control group and the upward-oriented field group.
Erdal ME, Yılmaz SG, Gürgül S, Uzun C, Derici D, Erdal N. · 2018
Researchers examined the effects of long-term ELF-MF exposure on miRNAs previously related to brain and human diseases, including miR-26b-5p, miR-9-5p, miR-29a-3p, miR-106b-5p, miR-107, and miR-125a-3p. Male and female Wistar-Albino rats were divided into sham and ELF-MF exposed groups, and after sacrifice, blood samples and brain tissues were collected. All miRNA expression levels in young female rats showed a significant decrease in blood compared to brain samples, though fewer miRNAs showed a similar significant decrease in blood.
Consales C et al. · 2018
Consales C et al. · 2018
Researchers exposed human brain cells and mouse neurons to 50-Hz magnetic fields (the type from power lines) at 1 milliTesla and found significant changes in gene regulation. The magnetic fields altered microRNAs (small molecules that control gene expression) and increased production of alpha-synuclein, a protein linked to Parkinson's disease. This suggests that power-frequency magnetic fields may disrupt normal brain cell function through epigenetic changes that could predispose neurons to degeneration.
Dinčić M et al. · 2018
Researchers exposed rats to weak static magnetic fields (1 mT) for 50 days and examined brain enzyme activity. They found that magnetic field exposure significantly increased the activity of key brain enzymes involved in nerve communication and energy metabolism, while also causing oxidative stress damage. These enzymes play important roles in neurological diseases, suggesting that even weak magnetic fields can alter brain chemistry.
Consales C et al. · 2018
The study used SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells stably over-expressing wild-type, G93A, or H46R mutant SOD1. Cells were exposed to 50-Hz, 1 mT ELF-MF or sham control for up to 72 hours. Exposure caused no change in proliferation, viability, or reactive oxygen species, but significantly deregulated iron-related genes IRP1, MFRN1, and TfR1 only in SOD1G93A cells, with a slight difference in total iron content (p = .0512).
Falone S et al. · 2017
Researchers investigated whether a 50 Hz, 1 mT ELF magnetic field promoted hyperproliferation and improved defence against reactive oxygen species in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. The field activated antioxidant and detoxification pathways linked to more aggressive cell behavior, along with upregulation of major sirtuins and increased NRF2 signaling. Exposure to a 50 Hz magnetic field as low as 100 µT may still be able to alter cancer cell behavior and responses to clinically relevant drugs.
Giorgi G et al. · 2017
Researchers exposed human neural cells (BE(2)C) to an extremely low frequency pulsed magnetic field (50 Hz, 1 mT) for 24 and 48 hours, alone and combined with oxidative stress, to study DNA methylation changes. Exposure to the magnetic field alone or oxidative stress alone produced only weak changes in DNA methylation levels at different CpG sites. When the two exposures were combined, a significant decrease in DNA methylation levels was found at different CpG sites, and most of those changes were transient.
Zheng Y, Dou JR, Gao Y, Dong L, Li G. · 2017
Researchers isolated cortical pyramidal neurons from Kunming mice and exposed them to 15 Hz, 1 mT square wave magnetic fields. Sodium currents, transient potassium currents, and delayed rectifier potassium currents were recorded using the whole-cell patch clamp method. Magnetic field exposure depressed channel current densities and altered the activation kinetics of sodium and potassium channels, and the inactivation properties of INa and IA were also altered.
Duong CN, Kim JY · 2016
Researchers studied whether EMF exposure could protect a human microglial cell line, HMO6, from cell death caused by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), a model of ischemic injury. HMO6 cells were cultured for 4 hours under OGD with or without exposure to EMF at different combinations of frequencies and intensities, and cell survival, intracellular calcium, and ROS levels were measured. Among the combinations tested, 50 Hz/1 mT EMF was the most potent at reducing OGD-induced cell death and lowering intracellular calcium and ROS levels. A significant but less potent protective effect was also found at 10 Hz/1 mT, while no protective effect was found at other combinations.
Reale M et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells to 50 Hz/1 mT ELF-EMF for short (1h-3h) and sub-chronic (48 h) periods. Exposed cells showed an increased intracellular 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid/5-hydroxytryptamine ratio reflecting transmitter synthesis, catabolism, and release. Matrix metalloproteinases involved in neuronal cell death were not significantly altered. The balance between reactive oxygen species generation and elimination, and between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, was maintained. The changes were minor compared to damage expected to underlie neurodegeneration or cognitive impairment.
Calabrò E. · 2016
Researchers exposed human SH-SY5Y neuronal-like cells to a 50 Hz magnetic field and examined protein changes using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. After exposure, the vibration bands of the methylene group increased significantly, and a significant shift to low energies of the Amide I band was observed. An increase in the intensity of parallel and antiparallel β-sheet structures relative to the α-helix component was also observed after exposure. The authors interpreted these results as suggesting that both protein aggregation and increased hydrogen bonding occurred in the exposed neuronal-like cells.
Ma Q et al. · 2016
Researchers studied the effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) on embryonic neural stem cells (eNSCs) in the laboratory. Cells were exposed to ELF-EMF at 50 Hz and 1 mT for 4 hours per day over 1, 2, and 3 days. ELF-EMF exposure increased the ratio of differentiated neurons and promoted neurite outgrowth without influencing astrocyte differentiation or cell apoptosis.
Falone S et al. · 2016
Researchers investigated whether hyperproliferation induced by a 50 Hz, 1 mT ELF magnetic field in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells is supported by improved defense against methylglyoxal and by rewiring of energy metabolism. The ELF magnetic field interfered with the biology of these malignant cells by further de-differentiating the cellular phenotype and increasing proliferative activity. The magnetic field also triggered cytoprotective mechanisms, including enhanced defense against methylglyoxal and more efficient management of metabolic energy, presumably to support rapid cell outgrowth.
Benassi B et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed SH-SY5Y cells to an extremely low frequency magnetic field set up to reproduce environmental prolonged exposure to ELF-MF (50 Hz, 1 mT) and then treated the cells with the pro-Parkinson's toxin MPP+. ELF-MF alone did not affect cell survival, shape, or morphology, but it did significantly impair redox homeostasis and thiol content, triggering an increase in protein carbonylation. When MPP+ was added to ELF-MF-exposed cells, toxicity was highly enhanced, with significant increases in ROS levels, oxidative damage, and caspase-dependent apoptosis. Pre-incubation with the thiol antioxidants N-acetyl-L-cysteine and GSH ethyl-ester significantly reduced oxidative damage and protected cells from death caused by the combined ELF-MF/MPP+ treatment.
Salunke BP, Umathe SN, Chavan JG. · 2016
Researchers exposed mice to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) for up to 120 days and found it caused significant anxiety-like behavior. The study identified that these fields disrupt brain chemistry by affecting NMDA receptors and increasing glutamate levels in key brain regions. This suggests that long-term exposure to power-frequency magnetic fields can alter brain function and behavior.
Benassi B et al. · 2015
Researchers exposed human brain cells to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) and found that while the fields didn't harm the cells directly, they made the cells much more vulnerable to a chemical toxin that causes Parkinson's disease-like damage. The magnetic field exposure disrupted the cells' natural antioxidant defenses, causing normally survivable toxin levels to trigger cell death through oxidative stress.
Duan W et al. · 2015
Researchers exposed mouse sperm cells to two types of electromagnetic fields - 50 Hz extremely low frequency (like power lines) and 1800 MHz radiofrequency (like cell phones) - to compare DNA damage. They found that high-intensity ELF fields caused DNA strand breaks, while high-intensity RF fields caused oxidative DNA damage through different mechanisms. The study suggests both types of EMF can damage DNA at high exposure levels, but through distinct biological pathways.
Jin H, Yoon HE, Lee JS, Kim JK, Myung SH, Lee YS. · 2015
Researchers assessed whether combined exposure to 60 Hz ELF-MF at 1 mT or 2 mT with ionizing radiation or hydrogen peroxide causes genomic instability in non-tumorigenic human lung epithelial L132 cells. They examined the percentages of G2/M-arrested cells and aneuploid cells after exposures. Exposure to 0.5 Gy ionizing radiation or 0.05 mM hydrogen peroxide for 9 hours increased aneuploidy but did not cause apoptotic cell death. ELF-MF alone did not affect the percentages of G2/M-arrested cells, aneuploid cells, or subG1 phase populations. Combining ELF-MF with ionizing radiation or hydrogen peroxide did not further increase G2/M arrest or aneuploidy.
Patruno A, Tabrez S, Pesce M, Shakil S, Kamal MA, Reale M · 2015
Researchers evaluated the effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure on catalase, cytochrome P450, and inducible nitric oxide synthase activity and protein expression in the myelogenous leukemia cell line K562. A significant modulation of iNOS, CAT, and cytochrome P450 protein expression was recorded in both stimulated and non-stimulated cell lines following ELF-EMF exposure. Changes in the kinetic parameters of these enzymes in response to ELF-EMF indicated an interaction between ELF-EMF and the enzymological system.
Yang ML, Ye ZM · 2015
Researchers exposed human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells to a 50 Hz, 1 mT extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) for 1, 2 and 3 hours in vitro. ELF-EMF decreased the viability of MG-63 cells, inhibited cell growth, induced cell apoptosis and increased the level of ROS significantly. The apoptosis rate declined significantly after treatment with ROS inhibitor NAC or p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580. The researchers concluded that increased ROS and p38MAPK activation may be involved in the mechanism.
