Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Assessment of the neurotoxic potential of exposure to 50Hz extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) in naive and chemically stressed PC12 cells med./bio.

By: de Groot MW, Kock MD, Westerink RH
Published in: Neurotoxicology 2014; 44: 358-364
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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To investigate the potential neurotoxic effects of acute (30 minutes) and sub-chronic (48 hours) exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields alone or in combination with chemical stress on PC-12 cells.

Background/further details

Cells were chemically stressed with 5 µM dexamethasone (a glucocorticoid, for 3-5 days), 100 µM L-DOPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, for 24 hours), 10 µM FeSO4 (iron sulfate, for 24 hours) or left naive (without chemical stress) prior to magnetic field exposure.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: 30 minutes
Exposure 2: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: 48 hours

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration 30 minutes
Additional info acute exposure
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Setup copper coil fitted to the stage of the fluorescence microscope; exposure device consisted of double copper wired solenoid coils connected to a signal generator; copper coils consisted of one continuous copper conductor, ensuring equal current in different coil components
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 1 µT - measured - -
magnetic flux density 10 µT - measured - -
magnetic flux density 100 µT - measured - -
magnetic flux density 1,000 µT - measured - -
Additional parameter details

sham exposure approximately 0.2 mT, i.e. background ELF-EMF from the fluorescence microscope set-up

Exposure 2

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration 48 hours
Additional info sub-chronic exposure
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Setup copper coil fitted into an incubator; exposure device consisted of double copper wired solenoid coils connected to a signal generator; copper coils consisted of one continuous copper conductor, ensuring equal current in different coil components
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 1 µT - measured - -
magnetic flux density 10 µT - measured - -
magnetic flux density 100 µT - measured - -
magnetic flux density 1,000 µT - measured - -
Additional parameter details

sham exposure approximately 0.4 mT, i.e. incubator-generated background ELF-EMF

Reference articles

  • Bouwens M et al. (2012): Low-frequency electromagnetic fields do not alter responses of inflammatory genes and proteins in human monocytes and immune cell lines
  • de Kleijn S et al. (2011): Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure does not modulate toll-like receptor signaling in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • before exposure
  • during exposure
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

No significant differences were observed between exposed (acute and sub-chronic) and sham exposed cells independent if cells were chemically stressed.
The results indicate that acute and sub-chronic exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields do not induce neurotoxic effects neither in naive nor in chemically stressed PC-12 cells.

Study character:

Study funded by

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