Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Induction of genomic instability, oxidative processes, and mitochondrial activity by 50Hz magnetic fields in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells med./bio.

Published in: Mutation Research - Fundamental and Molecular Mechanism of Mutagenesis 2014; 760: 33-41

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To examine the cellular changes occurring during the first 24 hours of exposure to a 50 Hz-magnetic field and to analyze whether the induced changes can lead to genomic instability in the progeny of the exposed cells.

Background/further details

In previous studies (Markkanen et al. 2008, Luukkonen et al. 2011), the authors found that a pre-exposure to 50 Hz-magnetic fields before a menadione treatment alters the cellular response and increases the genotoxicity. Menadione is a free radical-producing DNA damaging agent.
Cells were exposed or sham exposed to a magnetic field for 24 hours. Afterwards, they were incubated without or with menadione treatment for three hours (different concentrations of menadione were used). Micronucleus frequency was determined 11 or 18 days after the menadione treatment. All other assays were performed immediately after the magnetic field exposure/sham exposure, immediately after the menadione treatment or 8 or 15 days after the menadione treatment.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: continuous for 24 hours

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 24 hours
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Setup a pair of coils (34 x 46 cm) was placed in an incubator with 5 % CO2 and 37°C, distance between the coils 22 cm, coils generated a horizontal magnetic field, cells were positioned at the center of the coils for ensuring a uniform magnetic flux density
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 100 µT - measured - -

Reference articles

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

In exposed cell cultures (after 11 and 18 days), the levels of micronuclei were significantly increased compared to the sham exposed cell cultures. Additionally, the mitochondrial activity (after 8 days), the production of reactive oxygen species (after 15 days) and the lipid peroxidation (after 15 days) were significantly increased in the exposed cultures when compared to sham exposed cultures. Immediately after the exposure, the level of reactive oxygen species was significantly increased in comparison to sham exposed cell cultures while the level of reduced glutathione was significantly decreased.
The data indicate that exposure to a 50 Hz-magnetic field could disturb the oxidative/antioxidative balance immediately after the exposure and indicate an induction of genomic instability in the progeny of exposed cells.

Study character:

Study funded by

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