Fifty-Hertz Magnetic Field Affects the Epigenetic Modulation of the miR-34b/c in Neuronal Cells.
Consales C, Cirotti C, Filomeni G, Panatta M, Butera A, Merla C, Lopresto V, Pinto R, Marino C, Benassi B. · 2018
View Original AbstractPower-frequency magnetic fields can alter gene regulation in brain cells and increase proteins linked to Parkinson's disease.
Plain English Summary
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.
Why This Matters
This study reveals a concerning mechanism by which power-frequency magnetic fields may affect brain health. The researchers found that 50-Hz magnetic fields at 1 milliTesla can alter the epigenetic control of gene expression in neurons, specifically affecting microRNAs that regulate cellular stress responses. What makes this particularly significant is the connection to alpha-synuclein, a protein whose accumulation is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. The 1 milliTesla exposure level used in this study is quite high compared to typical residential exposures from power lines (usually measured in microTesla), but it's within the range that could occur in certain occupational settings or very close proximity to high-voltage lines. The science demonstrates that EMF exposure can trigger molecular changes that may contribute to neurodegeneration, adding to the growing body of evidence suggesting we need stronger protective measures for both workers and the public.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 1 mG
- Source/Device
- 50-Hz
Exposure Context
This study used 1 mG for magnetic fields:
- 50Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 10Kx 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
We here aimed at assessing if the control of gene expression mediated by miRNAs, namely miRs-34, has any roles in driving neuronal cell response to 50-Hz (1 mT) magnetic field in vitro.
We demonstrate that ELF-MFs drive an early reduction of the expression level of miR-34b and miR-34c ...
This modulation is not p53 dependent, but attributable to the hyper-methylation of the CpG island ma...
We finally demonstrate that ELF-MFs alter the expression of the α-synuclein, which is specifically stimulated upon ELF-MFs exposure via both direct miR-34 targeting and oxidative stress. Altogether, our data highlight the potential of the ELF-MFs to tune redox homeostasis and epigenetic control of gene expression in vitro and shed light on the possible mechanism(s) producing detrimental effects and predisposing neurons to degeneration.
Show BibTeX
@article{c_2018_fiftyhertz_magnetic_field_affects_620,
author = {Consales C and Cirotti C and Filomeni G and Panatta M and Butera A and Merla C and Lopresto V and Pinto R and Marino C and Benassi B.},
title = {Fifty-Hertz Magnetic Field Affects the Epigenetic Modulation of the miR-34b/c in Neuronal Cells.},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1007/s12035-017-0791-0},
url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12035-017-0791-0},
}