Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields do not affect DNA damage and gene expression profiles of yeast and human lymphocytes med./bio.

By: Luceri C, De Filippo C, Giovannelli L, Blangiardo M, Cavalieri D, Aglietti F, Pampaloni M, Andreuccetti D, Pieri L, Bambi F, Biggeri A, Dolara P

Published in: Radiat Res 2005; 164 (3): 277-285

Download citation in RIS format

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on peripheral human blood lymphocytes and yeast.

Endpoint

genotoxicity/mutation: DNA damage

Exposure

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz Exposure duration: continuous for 18 hours	magnetic flux density: 0.1 µT magnetic flux density: 1 µT magnetic flux density: 10 µT magnetic flux density: 100 µT

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	50 Hz
Type	electromagnetic field
Waveform	sinusoidal
Exposure duration	continuous for 18 hours
Additional info	reference article: D. Andreuccetti, M. Bini, A. Ignesti, R. Olmi, S. Priori and R. Vanni, Helmholtz coils for the generation of standard magnetic fields in biological applications. Proceedings of the VII National Congress of the AIFB, Monte Conero, Ancona (Italy), June 1992. Phys. Med. IX (Suppl. 1), 283-285 (1993).

Exposure setup

Exposure source	Helmholtz coils see setup details
Setup	The HC-50 exposure system consisted of a Helmholtz pair system comprising two parallel, coaxial, circular coils having a diameter of 40.6 cm. The distance between coils was equal to their radius (20.3 cm). Each coil was made up of 16 turns of 0.5-mm-thick enamelled copper wire. The two coils were connected in series so that the same current flowed in both. The field strength was regulated by varying the drive current supplied by an adjustable power unit allowing the HC-50 to produce a 50 Hz magnetic flux density varying from 1 to more than 150 µT.
Additional info	Each lymphocyte population was divided into two aliquots. The exposed cell aliquots were incubated at the desired field intensity in a cell incubator containing the HC-50 Helmholtz coil system, and the unexposed cell aliquots were placed in a second incubator used in parallel. As an additional control, some experiments were performed by reversing the current in one of the coils in the HC-50 (sham exposure).

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
magnetic flux density	0.1 µT	-	measured	-	-
magnetic flux density	1 µT	-	calibration	-	-
magnetic flux density	10 µT	-	calibration	-	-
magnetic flux density	100 µT	-	calibration	-	-

Measurement and calculation details

The actual magnetic flux density is a vector function of the position inside the Helmholtz coil system (being exactly equal to the nominal magnetic flux density in the system center only), but calculations and measurements show that intensity and direction errors with respect to the nominal magnetic flux density are less than 1% in a spherical volume centered in the system center and having a radius equal to one third of the coil radius, i.e. approx, 7 cm in the HC-50. The HC-50 power supply unit was equipped with a solid-state current meter whose LCD was calibrated to indicate the nominal magnetic flux density in microtesla. Scrupulous construction and precise calibration of the current meter guaranteed the overall accuracy, which was within 3% of the 7-cm-radius spherical volume. Although the system accuracy is too high to be assessed with standard magnetic flux density meters (rather the HC-50 itself can be used as a calibration device for such probes), it was checked and confirmed as far as possible with a professional commercial magnetic flux density meter (EMDEX II by Enertech consultants); the same instrument was also used to evaluate the background field intensity in the incubators and in the environment where cell exposure took place.

Exposed system:

intact cell/cell culture
yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae/strain DBY747)

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

genotoxicity/mutation: DNA damage (strand breaks) and oxidized bases (comet assay)
molecular biosynthesis: gene expression profiles (microarray)

Investigated system:

DNA/RNA
intact cell/cell culture

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

After exposure to the electromagnetic field, an increase in the amount of strand breaks or oxidated DNA bases relative to controls or a variation in gene expression profiles were not observed. The data suggest that extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields do not induce DNA damage or affect gene expression in these two different eukaryotic cell systems.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Ministero delle attività produttive (Ministry for Productive Activities), Italy

Anaya M et al. (2021): Effect of the oscillating magnetic field on airborne fungal
Sun L et al. (2019): Global gene expression changes reflecting pleiotropic effects of Irpex lacteus induced by low--intensity electromagnetic field
Lin KW et al. (2016): Exposure of ELF-EMF and RF-EMF Increase the Rate of Glucose Transport and TCA Cycle in Budding Yeast
Mahmoudinasab H et al. (2016): Short-term exposure to 50-Hz electromagnetic field and alterations in NQO1 and NQO2 expression in MCF-7 cells
Chen G et al. (2012): Using model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae to evaluate the effects of ELF-MF and RF-EMF exposure on global gene expression
Huwiler SG et al. (2012): Genome-wide transcription analysis of Escherichia coli in response to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields
Kirschenlohr H et al. (2012): Gene expression profiles in white blood cells of volunteers exposed to a 50 Hz electromagnetic field
Celikler S et al. (2009): A biomonitoring study of genotoxic risk to workers of transformers and distribution line stations
Henderson B et al. (2006): Gene expression profiling of human endothelial cells exposed to 50-Hz magnetic fields fails to produce regulated candidate genes
Williams PA et al. (2006): 14.6 mT ELF magnetic field exposure yields no DNA breaks in model system Salmonella, but provides evidence of heat stress protection
Hone P et al. (2006): Chromatid damage in human lymphocytes is not affected by 50 Hz electromagnetic fields
Hone P et al. (2003): Possible associations between ELF electromagnetic fields, DNA damage response processes and childhood leukaemia
Nakasono S et al. (2003): Effect of power-frequency magnetic fields on genome-scale gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Zhou J et al. (2002): Gene expression of cytokine receptors in HL60 cells exposed to a 50 Hz magnetic field
Skyberg K et al. (2001): Chromosomal aberrations in lymphocytes of employees in transformer and generator production exposed to electromagnetic fields and mineral oil
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