The genotoxic effects of exposure of mouse spermatocyte-derived cells to either a 50 Hz or 1800 MHz electromagnetic field should be investigated and compared.
Cells were either exposed to a 50 Hz magnetic field with 1 mT (group 1), 2 mT (group 2) or 3 mT (group 3) or to a 1800 MHz electromagnetic field with an SAR value of 1 W/kg (group 4), 2 W/kg (group 5) or 4 W/kg (group 6). For each exposure group, a corresponding sham exposure was conducted.
Hydrogen peroxide was used as a positive control in the viability and the comet assay and etoposide was used as a positve control in the detection of gamma-H2AX foci. All experiments were performed at least in triplicates.
| Exposure | Parameters |
|---|---|
|
Exposure 1:
50 Hz
Exposure duration:
intermittent 5 min field on and 10 min field off for 24 h
|
|
|
Exposure 2:
1,800 MHz
Exposure duration:
intermittent 5 min field on and 10 min field off for 24 h
|
| Frequency | 50 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform | |
| Exposure duration | intermittent 5 min field on and 10 min field off for 24 h |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|---|
| Chamber | cells were exposed in petri dishes |
| Setup | two mu-metal box chambers (each randomly assigend to exposure or sham exposure) in an incubator; each chamber contained 2 coils with 56 windings, 2 coils with 50 windings, two fans, a petri dish holder and a temperature sensor; 37-37.5°C, 5% CO2 and 95% humidity were maintained; nonuniformity of the magnetic field was <1% at all possible petri dish locations |
| Sham exposure | A sham exposure was conducted. |
| Additional info | temperature difference between the exposure and the sham exposure chambers did not exceed 0.1°C |
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| magnetic flux density | 1 mT | - | - | - | group 1 |
| magnetic flux density | 2 mT | - | - | - | group 2 |
| magnetic flux density | 3 mT | - | - | - | group 3 |
| Frequency | 1,800 MHz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Exposure duration | intermittent 5 min field on and 10 min field off for 24 h |
| Additional info | GSM talk mode simulation |
| Exposure source | |
|---|---|
| Chamber | cells were exposed in petri dishes |
| Setup | two rectangular waveguide chambers (each randomly assigend to exposure or sham exposure); 6 petri dishes were exposed simultaneously in each chamber in the magnetic field maximum with a perpendicularly polarized electric field; 37°C, 5% CO2 and 95% humidity were maintained; maximum temperature rise of 0.03°C/(W/kg) |
| Sham exposure | A sham exposure was conducted. |
| Additional info | temperature difference between the exposure and sham exposure chambers did not exceed 0.1°C |
No significant differences were found in cell viability between the exposure groups and their sham exposures, respectively.
In the alkaline comet assay, group 3 (50 Hz, 3 mT) showed a significant increase of DNA damage compared to the sham exposure. Likewise, a significant increase of gamma-H2AX foci was found in group 3 compared to the sham exposure. In the FPG-modified comet assay, significant oxidative nucleic base damage was found in group 6 (1800 MHz, 4 W/kg) in approaches with FPG compared to approaches without FPG. However, this result was not significantly different from the sham exposure.
The authors conclude that exposure of mouse spermatocyte-derived cells to a 50 Hz magnetic field with 3 mT or to a 1800 MHz electromagnetic field could have a genotoxic effect, though the underlying mechanisms of action seem to be different.
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