The phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced oxidative burst in rat peritoneal neutrophils is increased by a 0.1 mT (60 Hz) magnetic field.
Roy S, Noda Y, Eckert V, Traber MG, Mori A, Liburdy R, Packer L · 1995
View Original AbstractMagnetic fields at household appliance levels increased harmful free radical production in immune cells by 12.4%.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rat immune cells called neutrophils to a weak 60 Hz magnetic field (0.1 mT) and found it increased their production of free radicals by 12.4% when the cells were stimulated. Free radicals are reactive molecules that can damage cells and contribute to inflammation and disease. This was the first study to show that magnetic fields can directly influence free radical production in living immune cells.
Why This Matters
This research breaks important ground by demonstrating that extremely low frequency magnetic fields can amplify oxidative stress in immune cells. The 0.1 mT exposure level is significant because it falls within the range you might encounter near household electrical wiring or appliances, though typically for much shorter durations than laboratory exposure. What makes this study particularly noteworthy is that it shows magnetic fields don't just affect cells passively, but can actually enhance the cellular processes that generate harmful free radicals. The 12.4% increase in oxidative burst may seem modest, but when you consider that chronic low-level inflammation contributes to numerous health conditions, even small increases in free radical production could have meaningful biological consequences over time.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.1 mG
- Source/Device
- 60 Hz
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
We have investigated whether low frequency (60 Hz) low intensity (0.1 mT) MF can modulate the phorbol 12-myristate 13- acetate (PMA) induced respiratory burst in primed rat peritoneal neutrophils, followed in real time using the dye 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin (DCFH), which reacts with free radical-derived oxidants such as H2O2 (which is formed from the dismutation of superoxide) to become 2′,7′-dichlorofluorecein (DCF), a highly fluorescent compound.
In the presence of the MF, a 12.4% increase in the fluorescence signal was observed in PMA-stimulate...
We believe this represents the first experimental observation of MF influencing events involving free radical species generated during signal transduction in living cells.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_1995_the_phorbol_12myristate_13acetate_453,
author = {Roy S and Noda Y and Eckert V and Traber MG and Mori A and Liburdy R and Packer L},
title = {The phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced oxidative burst in rat peritoneal neutrophils is increased by a 0.1 mT (60 Hz) magnetic field.},
year = {1995},
doi = {10.1016/0014-5793(95)01266-X},
url = {https://febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1016/0014-5793(95)01266-X},
}