Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effects of co-exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields and benzene or benzene metabolites determined in vitro by the alkaline comet assay med./bio.

By: Moretti M, Villarini M, Simonucci S, Fatigoni C, Scassellati-Sforzolini G, Monarca S, Pasquini R, Angelucci M, Strappini M

Published in: Toxicol Lett 2005; 157 (2): 119-128

To study in vitro the possible genotoxic and/or co-genotoxic activity of 50 Hz magnetic fields by using the comet assay.

Sets of experiments were performed to evaluate the possible interaction between 50 Hz magnetic fields and the known leukemogen benzene. Three benzene hydroxylated metabolites were also evaluated: 1,2-benzenediol (catechol), 1,4-benzenediol (hydroquinone), and 1,2,4-benzenetriol.

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz Exposure duration: continuous for 1 h	magnetic flux density: 1 mT peak value

Experiment comprised of following groups: Jürkat cells 1) exposed to MF, 2) sham exposed, 3) neither exposed nor sham exposed, 4) exposed to MF and xenobiotics, 5) sham exposed and exposed to xenobiotics, 6) not exposed to MF but exposed to xenobiotics.

Exposure source	a pair of parallel coils arranged in a Helmholtz configuration
Chamber	CO₂ incubator, with the Helmholtz coil system placed in it, maintained at 37°C
Setup	the magnetic field was oriented in the plane of the cell culture plates
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
magnetic flux density	1 mT	peak value	measured	-	-

Exposed system:

Cells co-exposed to 1mT magnetic fields, benzene and catechol did not show any genotoxic activity. However, co-exposure of cells to 1mT magnetic fields and hydroquinone led to the appearance of a clear genotoxic effect. Moreover, co-exposure of cells to 1mT magnetic fields and 1,2,4-benzenetriol led to a marked increase in the genotoxicity of the ultimate metabolite of benzene.
The possibility that 50 Hz (power frequency) magnetic fields might interfere with the genotoxic activity of xenobiotics has important implications, since humans are likely to be exposed to a variety of genotoxic agents concomitantly with exposure to this type of physical agent.
Remark: The authors speak about Jürkat cells. It is supposed that they mean Jurkat cells.

Study character:

Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali (Ministry of Labour and Social Policies), Italy

Villarini M et al. (2017): No evidence of DNA damage by co-exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and aluminum on neuroblastoma cell lines
Zhu K et al. (2016): Extremely low frequency magnetic fields do not induce DNA damage in human lens epithelial cells in vitro
Koyama S et al. (2008): Extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields enhance chemically induced formation of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites in A172 cells
Villarini M et al. (2006): Effects of co-exposure to extremely low frequency (50 Hz) magnetic fields and xenobiotics determined in vitro by the alkaline comet assay
Hone P et al. (2006): Chromatid damage in human lymphocytes is not affected by 50 Hz electromagnetic fields
Koyama S et al. (2004): ELF electromagnetic fields increase hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced mutations in pTN89 plasmids
Hone P et al. (2003): Possible associations between ELF electromagnetic fields, DNA damage response processes and childhood leukaemia
Pasquini R et al. (2003): Micronucleus induction in cells co-exposed in vitro to 50 Hz magnetic field and benzene, 1,4-benzenediol (hydroquinone) or 1,2,4-benzenetriol
Harada S et al. (2001): Effects of high ELF magnetic fields on enzyme-catalyzed DNA and RNA synthesis in vitro and on a cell-free DNA mismatch repair