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Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

DNA & Genetic Damage

BIGEL analysis of gene expression in HL60 cells exposed to X rays or 60 Hz magnetic fields

No Effects Found

Authors not listed · 1998

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Power-line frequency magnetic fields showed no gene expression changes even at high exposure levels, unlike X-rays.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed HL60 cells (a type of human blood cell) to either X-rays or 60 Hz magnetic fields and examined changes in gene expression. While X-ray exposure altered the activity of 18 genes related to cell growth and stress responses, the 60 Hz magnetic fields produced no detectable changes in gene expression. This suggests that power-line frequency magnetic fields may not trigger the same cellular stress responses as ionizing radiation.

Why This Matters

This study provides reassuring evidence that 60 Hz magnetic fields-the frequency emitted by power lines and most household electrical devices-don't trigger the same cellular alarm bells as ionizing radiation. The researchers used a comprehensive screening method to examine nearly 2,000 genes, making this one of the more thorough investigations of power-frequency EMF effects on gene expression. What makes this particularly relevant is that 60 Hz is exactly the frequency of the electrical grid in North America, so these findings directly relate to everyday exposures from appliances, wiring, and power lines. The 2 mT exposure level used was quite high-roughly 20,000 times stronger than typical household magnetic field levels-yet still produced no measurable genetic changes. While one study doesn't close the book on power-frequency health effects, it does suggest that these fields operate through fundamentally different biological pathways than proven carcinogens like ionizing radiation.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 60 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Unknown (1998). BIGEL analysis of gene expression in HL60 cells exposed to X rays or 60 Hz magnetic fields.
Show BibTeX
@article{bigel_analysis_of_gene_expression_in_hl60_cells_exposed_to_x_rays_or_60_hz_magnetic_fields_ce3968,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {BIGEL analysis of gene expression in HL60 cells exposed to X rays or 60 Hz magnetic fields},
  year = {1998},
  doi = {10.2307/3579889},
  
}
DOI: 10.2307/3579889PubMed: 9840186

Quick Questions About This Study

No. Despite screening nearly 2,000 genes, researchers found no changes greater than 1.5-fold in cells exposed to 60 Hz magnetic fields, while X-rays altered 18 different genes related to cell stress and growth.
The 2 mT (2,000 microtesla) exposure was extremely high-approximately 20,000 times stronger than typical household magnetic field levels, which usually measure around 0.1 microtesla near common appliances.
X-rays altered 18 genes including MYC, superoxide dismutase, and genes involved in cell growth, protein synthesis, energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and programmed cell death-none were affected by magnetic fields.
HL60 cells are human leukemia cells commonly used in laboratory research because they're easy to grow, genetically stable, and respond predictably to various treatments, making them ideal for gene expression studies.
BIGEL (two-gel cDNA library screening) allows researchers to simultaneously compare gene expression across thousands of genes. This comprehensive approach showed magnetic fields caused no detectable genetic changes unlike ionizing radiation.