Medical/biological study (experimental study)

DNA damage induced in brain cells of CBA mice exposed to magnetic fields. med./bio.

By: Svedenstal BM, Johanson KJ, Hansson Mild K

Published in: In Vivo (USA) 1999; 13 (6): 551-552

Journal partially peer-reviewed/unclear

PubMed

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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study whether magnetic field exposure may induce DNA damage in brain cells from mice.

Endpoint

genotoxicity/mutation: DNA damage

Exposure

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz Exposure duration: continuous for 2 h, 5 days or 14 days	magnetic flux density: 0.5 mT unspecified

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	50 Hz
Type	magnetic field
Waveform	sinusoidal
Exposure duration	continuous for 2 h, 5 days or 14 days
Additional info	magnetic field field applied in horizontal direction

Exposure setup

Exposure source	quadro-pole coil
Setup	Animals were housed (10 cages) in the region where the magnetic field uniformity was better than ± 10%.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
magnetic flux density	0.5 mT	unspecified	calibration	-	-

Additional parameter details

the DC field parallel to AC magnetic field varied between 0 to 11 µT; the vertical DC field was 42 to 45 µT

Reference articles

Rannug A et al. (1993): Rat liver foci study on coexposure with 50 Hz magnetic fields and known carcinogens.

Exposed system:

animal
mouse/CBA/Ca
whole body

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

genotoxicity/mutation: DNA damage (neutral comet assay); migration of DNA (total length of the comet)

Investigated system:

DNA/RNA
intact cell/cell culture

Investigated organ system:

brain/CNS

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

No differences were found in the mice exposed to magnetic fields for two hours or five days compared with controls. However, in the exposed group for 14 days, a significantly extended cell DNA migration was revealed.
These data together with results from previous studies (see "related articles") indicate that magnetic fields may have genotoxic effects in brain cells.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

Woodbine L et al. (2015): The rate of X-ray induced DNA double strand break repair in the embryonic mouse brain is unaffected by exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields.
Saha S et al. (2014): Increased apoptosis and DNA double-strand breaks in the embryonic mouse brain in response to very low-dose X-rays but not 50 Hz magnetic fields.
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Lai H et al. (1997): Acute exposure to a 60 Hz magnetic field increases DNA strand breaks in rat brain cells.