Induction of genomic instability, oxidative processes, and mitochondrial activity by 50Hz magnetic fields in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.
Luukkonen J, Liimatainen A, Juutilainen J, Naarala J · 2014
View Original AbstractMagnetic field exposure caused genetic damage that persisted for weeks in cell descendants, suggesting EMF effects extend far beyond exposure time.
Plain English Summary
Finnish researchers exposed human brain cells to 50Hz magnetic fields from power lines for 24 hours. The exposure caused lasting genetic damage and cellular stress that persisted for up to 15 days, suggesting common household magnetic fields can trigger long-term harmful effects in cells.
Why This Matters
This study reveals a troubling pattern that extends far beyond the immediate exposure window. The researchers found that a single 24-hour exposure to magnetic fields at levels you encounter near household appliances (100 microtesla) triggered genetic damage that persisted for over two weeks in the cells' descendants. What makes this particularly significant is that the exposure level tested is roughly equivalent to what you'd experience standing directly under power lines, or about 10 times higher than typical home background levels. The science demonstrates that these effects aren't just temporary cellular hiccups but represent genuine genomic instability that gets passed down to new cell generations. This adds to a growing body of evidence showing that our cells retain a 'memory' of EMF exposure, with consequences that unfold long after the fields are turned off.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.1 mG
- Source/Device
- 50 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 24 h
Exposure Context
This study used 0.1 mG for magnetic fields:
- 5Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 1Kx 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 aim of this study was to investigate the cellular changes that must occur already during the first 24 h of exposure to MF, and to explore whether the MF-induced changes in DNA damage response can lead to genomic instability in the progeny of the exposed cells.
In order to answer these questions, human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were exposed to a 50-Hz, 100-μ...
The main finding was that MF exposure was associated with increased level of micronuclei, used as an...
In conclusion, the present results suggest that MF exposure disturbs oxidative balance immediately after the exposure, which might explain our previous findings on MF altered cellular responses to menadione-induced DNA damage. Persistently elevated levels of micronuclei were found in the progeny of MF-exposed cells, indicating induction of genomic instability.
Show BibTeX
@article{j_2014_induction_of_genomic_instability_413,
author = {Luukkonen J and Liimatainen A and Juutilainen J and Naarala J},
title = {Induction of genomic instability, oxidative processes, and mitochondrial activity by 50Hz magnetic fields in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. },
year = {2014},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0027510713001991},
}