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Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) induces alterations in epigenetic regulation in the myometrium - An in vitro study

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Franczak A, Drzewiecka EM, Kozlowska W, Zmijewska A, Wydorski PJ · 2023

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Short exposure (15 and 30 minutes) to a 50 Hz, 1.3 mT field raised reactive oxygen species and altered DNA damage and epigenetic-related factors in cancer cells, and the authors postulate it may be a promising treatment strategy.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed porcine uterine tissue to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (50 Hz, 8 mT) for 2 hours and found significant changes in epigenetic regulation, including altered DNA methylation enzymes and increased global DNA methylation. These changes affected the expression of multiple genes involved in reproduction and inflammation. This matters because it demonstrates that EMF exposure can alter gene regulation at the epigenetic level, potentially affecting reproductive function through mechanisms that may persist beyond the exposure itself.

Why This Matters

This in vitro study examined how extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields affect cancer cells. The researchers exposed gynecological (HeLa, ES-2) and urological (DU-145) cancer cells to 50 Hz fields at 1.3 mT for 15 and 30 minutes and found elevated reactive oxygen species and changes in genes and proteins involved in DNA damage response and epigenetic modifications. The most prominent changes were in ES-2 and DU-145 cells exposed for 30 minutes: ES-2 cells showed upregulation of XRCC5 gene expression and elevated levels of several proteins, including NSUN2, while DU-145 cells showed diminished levels of BCL-2, HSP90, RAD51 and TNF-alpha and overexpression of VIM and METTL3. The authors postulate that short-term exposure to 50 Hz fields may be a promising treatment strategy for these cancer cells. These are cell line results, so they do not describe exposure of uterine tissue or of people.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Franczak A, Drzewiecka EM, Kozlowska W, Zmijewska A, Wydorski PJ (2023). Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) induces alterations in epigenetic regulation in the myometrium - An in vitro study.
Show BibTeX
@article{franczak_a_drzewiecka_em_kozlowska_w_zmijewska_a_wydorski_pj_ce4031,
  author = {Franczak A and Drzewiecka EM and Kozlowska W and Zmijewska A and Wydorski PJ},
  title = {Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) induces alterations in epigenetic regulation in the myometrium - An in vitro study},
  year = {2023},
  doi = {10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.02.005},
  
}
DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.02.005PubMed: 36806924

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, this study found that 50 Hz EMF exposure (8 mT for 2 hours) significantly altered DNA methylation enzymes and increased global DNA methylation levels in uterine tissue. Specifically, it increased DNMT1 enzyme expression while decreasing DNMT3a, both key regulators of which genes are turned on or off in cells.
In ES-2 cells exposed to 50 Hz fields for 30 minutes, the study found elevated levels of the NSUN2 protein. In DU-145 cells it found overexpression of METTL3. These are the epigenetic-related factors that changed.
The researchers exposed gynecological (HeLa, ES-2) and urological (DU-145) cancer cells. The experiment was designed to investigate the in vitro short-term effects of the fields on reactive oxygen species formation, the levels of genes and proteins involved in DNA damage response, and epigenetic modifications.
The field had a frequency of 50 Hz and a magnetic flux density of 1.3 mT (1,300 microTesla). It was applied for 15 and 30 minutes.
In ES-2 cells the study found upregulated XRCC5 gene expression and elevated levels of TNF-alpha, RAD51, APE1, XRCC1 and NSUN2 proteins. In DU-145 cells it found diminished levels of BCL-2, HSP90, RAD51 and TNF-alpha, and overexpression of VIM and METTL3.