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Oxidative Stress

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) prevents pro-oxidant effects of H2O2 in SK-N-BE(2) human neuroblastoma cells.

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Falone S, Marchesi N, Osera C, Fassina L, Comincini S, Amadio M, Pascale A. · 2016

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Pulsed electromagnetic field exposure increased antioxidant protection and reduced reactive oxygen species production in drug-resistant human neuroblastoma cells challenged with hydrogen peroxide.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed SK-N-BE(2) drug-resistant human neuroblastoma cells to a pulsed electromagnetic field and then challenged the cells with hydrogen peroxide to measure oxidative stress responses. The PEMF increased MnSOD-based antioxidant protection and reduced ROS production in response to a pro-oxidant challenge. The researchers suggested their work might lay foundation for the development of non-invasive PEMF-based approaches aimed at elevating endogenous antioxidant properties in cellular or tissue models.

Why This Matters

The study used SK-N-BE(2) cells, which are described as drug-resistant human neuroblastoma cells, because drug resistance may affect cell sensitivity to redox-based treatments. The PEMF exposure was 2 mT at 75 Hz, applied for 15 minutes at a time, repeated three times over five days. After exposure, cells were challenged with 1 mM hydrogen peroxide for either 10 or 30 minutes, and ROS production, MnSOD-based antioxidant protection, and viability were assessed. Sham controls were kept at the same time in identical cell culture incubators. The researchers noted that the redox milieu, together with reactive oxygen species accumulation, may play a role in mediating some biological effects of extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
2 mT
Source/Device
75 Hz Pulsed electromagnetic field
Exposure Duration
15 min each, repeated 3 times over 5 days

Exposure Context

This study used 2 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: 2 mTExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)This level is 10 times the FCC limit
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 75 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 75 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The redox milieu, together with reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, may play a role in mediating some biological effects of extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF). Some of us have recently reported that a pulsed EMF (PEMF) improves the antioxidant response of a drug-sensitive human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line to pro-oxidants. Since drug resistance may affect cell sensitivity to redox-based treatments, we wanted to verify whether drug-resistant human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE(2) cells respond to a PEMF in a similar fashion

SK-N-BE(2) cells were exposed to repeated 2 mT, 75 Hz PEMF (15 min each, repeated 3 times over 5 day...

The PEMF increased the MnSOD-based antioxidant protection and reduced the ROS production in response...

Our work might lay foundation for the development of non-invasive PEMF-based approaches aimed at elevating endogenous antioxidant properties in cellular or tissue models.

Cite This Study
Falone S, Marchesi N, Osera C, Fassina L, Comincini S, Amadio M, Pascale A. (2016). Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) prevents pro-oxidant effects of H2O2 in SK-N-BE(2) human neuroblastoma cells. Int J Radiat Biol. 92(5):281-286, 2016.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2016_pulsed_electromagnetic_field_pemf_357,
  author = {Falone S and Marchesi N and Osera C and Fassina L and Comincini S and Amadio M and Pascale A.},
  title = {Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) prevents pro-oxidant effects of H2O2 in SK-N-BE(2) human neuroblastoma cells.},
  year = {2016},
  doi = {10.3109/09553002.2016.1150619},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09553002.2016.1150619},
}
DOI: 10.3109/09553002.2016.1150619

Cited By (34 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

The study used SK-N-BE(2) drug-resistant human neuroblastoma cells.
Cells were exposed to a pulsed EMF of 2 mT at 75 Hz, for 15 minutes each session, repeated three times over five days.
The PEMF increased MnSOD-based antioxidant protection and reduced ROS production in response to a pro-oxidant challenge.
The researchers chose drug-resistant cells because drug resistance may affect cell sensitivity to redox-based treatments.
The researchers suggested the work might lay foundation for the development of non-invasive PEMF-based approaches aimed at elevating endogenous antioxidant properties in cellular or tissue models.