Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Micronucleus induction in Syrian hamster embryo cells following exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields, benzo(a)pyrene, and TPA in vitro med./bio.

By: Simko M, Richard D, Kriehuber R, Weiss DG

Published in: Mutat Res Genet Toxicol Environ Mutagen 2001; 495 (1-2): 43-50

Exposure

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz Exposure duration: 24, 48, 72 h	magnetic flux density: 1 mT

General information

cell cultures were treated with i) only EMF ii) EMF + benzpyrene iii) EMF + tetradecanoylphorbol-acetate iv) EMF + benzpyren + tetradecanoylphorbol-acetate

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	50 Hz
Type	magnetic field
Waveform	sinusoidal
Polarization	linear
Exposure duration	24, 48, 72 h

Exposure setup

Exposure source	Helmholtz coils
Setup	pair of parallel Helmholtz coils with a diameter of 400 mm each, 200 mm apart
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

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

Reference articles

Simko M et al. (1998): Effects of 50 Hz EMF exposure on micronucleus formation and apoptosis in transformed and nontransformed human cell lines

Exposed system:

intact cell/cell culture
SHE (syrian hamster embryo) cells

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

genotoxicity/mutation: micronucleus formation (bisbenzimide stain, fluorescence microscopy)
cell viability/cell division/proliferation: cell proliferation (number of mitotic cells)

Investigated system:

intact cell/cell culture

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

No statsitically significant effects in cell proliferation were observed in magnetic field exposed cells.
Magnetic field or tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (1nM) alone did not affect the number of micronuclei. Co-exposure (benzpyrene treatment for 24 hours during magnetic field exposure for 72 hours) resulted in an 1.8-fold increase of micronuclei formation compared to benzpyrene treatment for 48 hours alone. Co-exposure of benzpyrene, tetradecanoylphorbol acetate and magnetic field did not cause further micronuclei formation.
Since benzpyrene treatment (24 hours) during magnetic field exposure (72 hours) caused a significant increased micronuclei formation, these results suggest that magnetic fields enhance the initiation process of benzpyrene.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study
blind study

Study funded by

Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS; Federal Office for Radiation Protection), Salzgitter, Germany

Borhani N et al. (2011): Analysis of DNA fragmentation in mouse embryos exposed to an extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field
Yokus B et al. (2008): Extremely low frequency magnetic fields cause oxidative DNA damage in rats
Cho YH et al. (2007): Effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields on delayed chromosomal instability induced by bleomycin in normal human fibroblast cells
Fatigoni C et al. (2005): Genotoxic effects of extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields (MF) evaluated by the Tradescantia-micronucleus assay
Scarfi MR et al. (2005): Evaluation of genotoxic effects in human fibroblasts after intermittent exposure to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields: a confirmatory study
Winker R et al. (2005): Chromosomal damage in human diploid fibroblasts by intermittent exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields
Testa A et al. (2004): Evaluation of genotoxic effect of low level 50 Hz magnetic fields on human blood cells using different cytogenetic assays
Stronati L et al. (2004): Absence of genotoxicity in human blood cells exposed to 50 Hz magnetic fields as assessed by comet assay, chromosome aberration, micronucleus, and sister chromatid exchange analyses
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
Verheyen GR et al. (2003): Effect of coexposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields and an aneugen on human lymphocytes, determined by the cytokinesis block micronucleus assay
Cho YH et al. (2003): The effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on the frequency of micronuclei and sister chromatid exchange in human lymphocytes induced by benzo(a)pyrene
Ivancsits S et al. (2003): Intermittent extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields cause DNA damage in a dose-dependent way
Ding GR et al. (2003): Induction of kinetochore-positive and kinetochore-negative micronuclei in CHO cells by ELF magnetic fields and/or X-rays
Zeni O et al. (2001): Combined exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields and chemical mutagens: Lack of genotoxic effects in human lymphocytes
Abramsson-Zetterberg L et al. (2001): Extended exposure of adult and fetal mice to 50 Hz magnetic field does not increase the incidence of micronuclei in erythrocytes
Simko M et al. (1999): Absence of synergistic effects on micronucleus formation after exposure to electromagnetic fields and asbestos fibers in vitro
Scarfi MR et al. (1999): Micronucleus frequency and cell proliferation in human lymphocytes exposed to 50 Hz sinusoidal magnetic fields
Simko M et al. (1998): Micronucleus formation in human amnion cells after exposure to 50 Hz MF applied horizontally and vertically
Simko M et al. (1998): Effects of 50 Hz EMF exposure on micronucleus formation and apoptosis in transformed and nontransformed human cell lines
Misakian M et al. (1997): Distributions of measurement errors for single-axis magnetic field meters during measurements near appliances
Scarfi MR et al. (1997): 50-Hz, 1-mT sinusoidal magnetic fields do not affect micronucleus frequency and cell proliferation in human lymphocytes from normal and Turner's syndrome subjects