Effects of 50-Hz magnetic field exposure on superoxide radical anion formation and HSP70 induction in human K562 cells.
Mannerling AC, Simkó M, Mild KH, Mattsson MO · 2010
View Original AbstractExposing human K562 leukemia cells to a 50-Hz magnetic field transiently increased HSP70 stress protein levels by more than twofold and raised superoxide radical anion levels by 30–40%.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed human K562 leukemia cells to a 50-Hz sine-wave magnetic field for 1 hour at flux densities ranging from 0.025 to 0.10 mT, measuring proliferation, cell cycle distribution, superoxide radical anion levels, and HSP70 protein levels. Both vertical and horizontal exposures caused significantly and transiently increased HSP70 levels of more than twofold at several flux densities, compared to sham controls and also compared to a heat-treatment positive control. Superoxide radical anion levels increased by 30–40%, and adding free radical scavengers melatonin or 1,10-phenantroline inhibited the magnetic-field-induced increase in HSP70. Cell cycle kinetics and proliferation were not affected by exposure at 0.10 mT for 1 hour.
Why This Matters
The study used K562 cells, described as a human leukemia cell line, and tested both vertical and horizontal magnetic field exposure directions. A heat treatment at 42°C for 1 hour served as a positive control; it did not affect cell proliferation or superoxide radical anion production but did cause cells to accumulate in the G2 phase and raised HSP70. Both vertical and horizontal magnetic field exposures raised HSP70 by more than twofold compared to sham controls and also compared to the heat-treatment control. The researchers concluded that an early response to the magnetic field in K562 cells seems to be an increased amount of oxygen radicals, leading to HSP70 induction. The results suggest that there is a flux density threshold where 50-Hz magnetic field exerts its effects on K562 cells, at or below 0.025 mT, and that it is the magnetic field, and not the induced electric field, which is the active parameter.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.025–0.10 mT
- Source/Device
- 50-Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 1 h
Exposure Context
This study used 0.025–0.10 mT for magnetic fields:
- 1.3Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 250x above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
Here, we report on the influence of MF exposure (50-Hz sine wave; 1 h; 0.025–0.10 mT; vertical or horizontal MF exposure direction) on different cellular parameters (proliferation, cell cycle distribution, superoxide radical anion, and HSP70 protein levels) in the human leukaemia cell line K562.
The positive control heat treatment (42°C, 1 h) did not affect either cell proliferation or superoxi...
In conclusion, an early response to ELF MF in K562 cells seems to be an increased amount of oxygen radicals, leading to HSP70 induction. Furthermore, the results suggest that there is a flux density threshold where 50-Hz MF exerts its effects on K562 cells, at or below 0.025 mT, and also that it is the MF, and not the induced electric field, which is the active parameter.
Show BibTeX
@article{ac_2010_effects_of_50hz_magnetic_419,
author = {Mannerling AC and Simkó M and Mild KH and Mattsson MO},
title = {Effects of 50-Hz magnetic field exposure on superoxide radical anion formation and HSP70 induction in human K562 cells.},
year = {2010},
url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00411-010-0306-0},
}