Activation of Signaling Cascades by Weak Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields.
Kapri-Pardes E, Hanoch T, Maik-Rachline G, Murbach M, Bounds PL, Kuster N, Seger R. · 2017
View Original AbstractCells respond to magnetic fields 100 times weaker than typical household exposures, challenging assumptions about EMF safety thresholds.
Plain English Summary
Scientists exposed eight cell types to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and found that even very weak fields (0.15 microtesla) triggered cellular responses by activating growth proteins. However, these responses were too small to cause cancer or cell damage, suggesting minimal health risk.
Why This Matters
This research provides important evidence that cells can respond to magnetic fields at remarkably low levels - far below what most scientists previously thought possible. The 0.15 microtesla threshold where effects began is roughly 100 times weaker than typical household magnetic field exposures near appliances. What makes this study particularly significant is that it demonstrates a biological mechanism (NADP oxidase activation) similar to what researchers have found with microwave radiation, suggesting different types of EMF may trigger cellular responses through common pathways. While the authors concluded the cellular changes were too small to cause cancer, the fact that cells respond at all to such weak fields challenges the assumption that low-level EMF exposures are biologically inert. The science demonstrates that our cells are far more sensitive to electromagnetic environments than regulatory agencies currently acknowledge.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.00015 - 0.01 mG
Exposure Context
This study used 0.00015 - 0.01 mG for magnetic fields:
- 7.5x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 1.5x 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
The objective of this study was to explore whether activation of ERK1/2 and other signaling cascades can be used as a readout for responses of a variety of cell types, both transformed and non-transformed, to ELF-MF.
We applied ELF-MF at various field strengths and time periods to eight different cell types with an ...
We found that the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 is increased in response to ELF-MF. However, the phospho...
Our results further indicate that cells are responsive to ELF-MF at field strengths much lower than previously suspected and that the effect may be mediated by NADP oxidase. However, the small increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation is probably insufficient to affect proliferation and oncogenic transformation. Therefore, the results cannot be regarded as proof of the involvement of ELF-MF in cancer in general or childhood leukemia in particular.
Show BibTeX
@article{e_2017_activation_of_signaling_cascades_661,
author = {Kapri-Pardes E and Hanoch T and Maik-Rachline G and Murbach M and Bounds PL and Kuster N and Seger R.},
title = {Activation of Signaling Cascades by Weak Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields.},
year = {2017},
url = {https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/481977},
}