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Extremely low frequency magnetic fields regulate differentiation of regulatory T cells: Potential role for ROS-mediated inhibition on AKT

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Tang R, Xu Y, Ma F, Ren J, Shen S, Du Y, Hou Y, Wang T · 2016

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Extremely low frequency magnetic fields inhibited regulatory T cell differentiation and reduced tumor burden in a mouse melanoma model.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers studied the effect of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) on a lung metastatic melanoma mouse model and on the differentiation of regulatory T cells (Treg cells). Tumor-bearing mice were exposed to ELF-MFs at 0.4 T and 7.5 Hz for 2 hours per day for 27 days. Metastatic tumor burden in the lung was significantly decreased after ELF-MF treatment, and expressions of MMP2, MMP9, and Foxp3 in lung nodules significantly decreased in the ELF-MF group. In cell experiments, ELF-MF treatment reduced the Treg cell differentiation rate from 32.0% to 22.1%, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and inhibited p-AKT in T cells.

Why This Matters

The study used both a mouse model and cell culture experiments to examine how ELF-MFs affect Treg cells, which are a type of immune cell marked by Foxp3 expression. In the cell experiments, T cells were stimulated with anti-CD3, anti-CD28 antibodies and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and then treated with ELF-MFs for 2 hours. To test whether ROS were responsible for the changes in AKT and Foxp3, researchers used a ROS scavenger called N-acetyl-l-cysteine, which reversed the inhibition of the AKT pathway and raised Foxp3 expression from 18.6% to 26.6% in T cells. The researchers concluded that ELF-MF exposure promoted the inhibitory effect of ROS on the AKT pathway and decreased Foxp3 expression, which they suggest explains how ELF-MF exposure inhibited Treg cell differentiation and enhanced the antitumor effect in the melanoma mouse model.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
400 mT
Source/Device
7.5 Hz
Exposure Duration
2 h/day for 27 days

Exposure Context

This study used 400 mT for magnetic fields:

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 Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 400 mTExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)This level is 2,000 times the FCC limit
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 8 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 8 HzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

Here, we focus on the effect of ELF-MFs on lung metastatic melanoma mouse model and the regulatory mechanism of ELF-MFs on the differentiation of Treg cells.

Tumor-bearing mice were exposed to sham ELF-MFs and ELF-MFs (0.4 T, 7.5 Hz) 2 h/day for 27 days.

Metastatic tumor burden of lung was significantly decreased after ELF-MF treatment. Compared to the ...

Taken together, our data show that ELF-MF exposure promoted the inhibitory effect of ROS on AKT pathway and decreased Foxp3 expression, which provides an explanation for why ELF-MF exposure can inhibit differentiation of Treg cells and enhance antitumor effect in metastatic melanoma mouse model.

Cite This Study
Tang R, Xu Y, Ma F, Ren J, Shen S, Du Y, Hou Y, Wang T (2016). Extremely low frequency magnetic fields regulate differentiation of regulatory T cells: Potential role for ROS-mediated inhibition on AKT Bioelectromagnetics. 37(2):89-98, 2016.
Show BibTeX
@article{r_2016_extremely_low_frequency_magnetic_470,
  author = {Tang R and Xu Y and Ma F and Ren J and Shen S and Du Y and Hou Y and Wang T},
  title = {Extremely low frequency magnetic fields regulate differentiation of regulatory T cells: Potential role for ROS-mediated inhibition on AKT},
  year = {2016},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.21954},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.21954},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.21954

Cited By (21 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Mice were exposed to ELF-MFs at 0.4 T and 7.5 Hz for 2 hours per day for 27 days.
ELF-MFs inhibited the Treg cell differentiation rate from 32.0% to 22.1%.
Metastatic tumor burden in the lung was significantly decreased after ELF-MF treatment, and expressions of MMP2, MMP9, and Foxp3 in lung nodules significantly decreased in the ELF-MF group.
ROS was increased by ELF-MF exposure, and using a ROS scavenger reversed the inhibition of the AKT pathway and raised Foxp3 expression from 18.6% to 26.6% in T cells.
The researchers concluded that ELF-MF exposure promoted the inhibitory effect of ROS on the AKT pathway and decreased Foxp3 expression, which they suggest explains how ELF-MF exposure inhibited Treg cell differentiation and enhanced the antitumor effect in the metastatic melanoma mouse model.