Power frequency magnetic fields induced reactive oxygen species-related autophagy in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.
Chen Y, Hong L, Zeng Y, Shen Y, Zeng Q. · 2014
View Original AbstractPower frequency magnetic fields at 2 milliTesla triggered cellular stress responses in embryonic cells, suggesting biological impacts from high-level EMF exposure.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed mouse embryonic cells to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the type from power lines) at 2 milliTesla for various time periods. They found that 6-hour exposures triggered autophagy, a cellular cleanup process, through increased reactive oxygen species (cellular stress molecules). This suggests that power frequency magnetic fields can alter fundamental cellular processes even at the cellular level.
Why This Matters
This study adds to mounting evidence that power frequency magnetic fields can trigger measurable biological responses at the cellular level. The 2 milliTesla exposure used here is quite high compared to typical household levels (usually under 1 milliTesla), but it's within the range you might encounter very close to high-voltage power lines or certain industrial equipment. What's particularly significant is that the researchers identified a specific biological pathway - autophagy triggered by reactive oxygen species - that responds to magnetic field exposure. This isn't just a vague "biological effect" but a documented cellular stress response with known health implications. While autophagy can be protective in some contexts, chronic activation through environmental stressors raises questions about long-term cellular health.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 2 mG
- Source/Device
- 50 Hz PFMF
- Exposure Duration
- 0.5 h, 2 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h
Exposure Context
This study used 2 mG for magnetic fields:
- 100Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 20Kx 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
In this study, we investigated the effects of PFMF on mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) autophagy.
After cells were exposed to 50 Hz PFMF at 2 mT for 0.5 h, 2 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h, we observed a si...
Show BibTeX
@article{y_2014_power_frequency_magnetic_fields_329,
author = {Chen Y and Hong L and Zeng Y and Shen Y and Zeng Q.},
title = {Power frequency magnetic fields induced reactive oxygen species-related autophagy in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.},
year = {2014},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1357272514003240},
}