Effects of ELF pulsed electromagnetic fields on glioblastoma cells
Abstract
Effects of ELF pulsed electromagnetic fields on glioblastoma cells Zeinab Akbarnejad, Hossein Eskandary, Cristian Vergallo, Seyed Noureddin Nematollahi-Mahani, Luciana Dini, Fatemeh Darvishzadeh-Mahani & Ahmadi Meysam. Effects of extremely low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields (ELF-PEMFs) on glioblastoma cells (U87) Pages 1-10. Published online: 22 Nov 2016. dx.doi.org Abstract The impact of extremely low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields (ELF-PEMFs) at various frequencies and amplitudes was investigated on cell cycle, apoptosis and viability of the Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) cell line (U87), in vitro. The GBM is a malignant brain tumor with high mortality in humans and poorly responsive to the most common type of cancer treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. U87 cells with five experimental groups (I-V) were exposed to various ELF-PEMFs for 2, 4 and 24 h, as follows: (I) no exposure, control; (II) 50 Hz 100 ± 15 G; (III) 100 Hz 100 ± 15 G; (IV) 10 Hz 50 ± 10 G; (V) 50 Hz 50 ± 10 G. The morphology properties, cell viability and gene expression of proteins involved in cell cycle regulation (Cyclin-D1 and P53) and apoptosis (Caspase-3) were investigated. After 24 h, the cell viability and Cyclin-D1 expression increased in Group II (30%, 45%), whereas they decreased in Groups III (29%, 31%) and IV (21%, 34%); P53 and Caspase-3 elevated only in Group III; and no significant difference was observed in Group V, respectively, compared with the control (p < 0.05). The data suggest that the proliferation and apoptosis of human GBM are influenced by exposure to ELF-PEMFs in different time-dependent frequencies and amplitudes. The fact that some of the ELF- PEMFs frequencies and amplitudes favor U87 cells proliferation indicates precaution for the use of medical devices related to the MFs on cancer patients. On the other hand, some other ELF-PEMFs frequencies and intensities arresting U87 cells growth could open the way to develop novel therapeutic approaches. Conclusion In conclusion, our findings showed that the antiproliferative and proliferative effects of ELF-PEMFs depend on frequency, amplitude and exposure time. There is no doubt that other MF properties should be further addressed. However, our results can offer significant preliminary indication on the appropriateness of the applied range to prevent cell proliferation and induce cell death in cancer patients. Thus, the up- and downregulation of Cyclin-D1, P53 and Caspase-3 in the presence of ELF-PEMF can be a starting point for further investigations on the relationship between ELF-PEMF exposure and cancer cells as well as the exploration of their possible adjuvant use in anticancer therapies. tandfonline.com
AI evidence extraction
Main findings
U87 glioblastoma cells exposed to ELF-PEMFs showed frequency-, amplitude-, and time-dependent changes in viability and gene expression. After 24 h, viability and Cyclin-D1 increased in the 50 Hz, 100 ± 15 G group, decreased in the 100 Hz, 100 ± 15 G and 10 Hz, 50 ± 10 G groups, while P53 and Caspase-3 increased only in the 100 Hz, 100 ± 15 G group; no significant differences were reported for 50 Hz, 50 ± 10 G versus control (p < 0.05).
Outcomes measured
- Cell viability
- Cell cycle regulation markers (Cyclin-D1, P53)
- Apoptosis marker (Caspase-3)
- Cell morphology
Limitations
- In vitro study using a single glioblastoma cell line (U87), limiting generalizability to humans.
- Sample size and replication details are not provided in the abstract.
- Exposure characterization beyond frequency/amplitude (e.g., waveform details) is not described in the abstract.
- Only selected biomarkers (Cyclin-D1, P53, Caspase-3) are reported in the abstract.
View raw extracted JSON
{
"publication_year": 2016,
"study_type": "in_vitro",
"exposure": {
"band": "ELF",
"source": "pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) exposure system (in vitro)",
"frequency_mhz": null,
"sar_wkg": null,
"duration": "2, 4, and 24 h"
},
"population": "Human glioblastoma multiforme cell line U87 (in vitro)",
"sample_size": null,
"outcomes": [
"Cell viability",
"Cell cycle regulation markers (Cyclin-D1, P53)",
"Apoptosis marker (Caspase-3)",
"Cell morphology"
],
"main_findings": "U87 glioblastoma cells exposed to ELF-PEMFs showed frequency-, amplitude-, and time-dependent changes in viability and gene expression. After 24 h, viability and Cyclin-D1 increased in the 50 Hz, 100 ± 15 G group, decreased in the 100 Hz, 100 ± 15 G and 10 Hz, 50 ± 10 G groups, while P53 and Caspase-3 increased only in the 100 Hz, 100 ± 15 G group; no significant differences were reported for 50 Hz, 50 ± 10 G versus control (p < 0.05).",
"effect_direction": "mixed",
"limitations": [
"In vitro study using a single glioblastoma cell line (U87), limiting generalizability to humans.",
"Sample size and replication details are not provided in the abstract.",
"Exposure characterization beyond frequency/amplitude (e.g., waveform details) is not described in the abstract.",
"Only selected biomarkers (Cyclin-D1, P53, Caspase-3) are reported in the abstract."
],
"evidence_strength": "low",
"confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
"peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
"stance": "concern",
"stance_confidence": 0.66000000000000003108624468950438313186168670654296875,
"summary": "This in vitro study examined how extremely low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields (ELF-PEMFs) at different frequencies and amplitudes affect viability, apoptosis, and cell-cycle-related gene expression in U87 glioblastoma cells. The authors report that some exposure conditions increased viability and Cyclin-D1 expression, while others decreased viability and increased apoptosis-related markers, indicating condition-dependent effects. The paper highlights precautionary implications for magnetic-field-related medical devices in cancer patients while also suggesting possible therapeutic exploration for growth-inhibiting settings.",
"key_points": [
"U87 glioblastoma cells were exposed to ELF-PEMFs at 10, 50, or 100 Hz and 50 ± 10 G or 100 ± 15 G for 2, 4, or 24 hours.",
"After 24 hours, the 50 Hz, 100 ± 15 G condition was reported to increase cell viability and Cyclin-D1 expression versus control.",
"After 24 hours, the 100 Hz, 100 ± 15 G and 10 Hz, 50 ± 10 G conditions were reported to decrease viability and Cyclin-D1 expression versus control.",
"P53 and Caspase-3 were reported to increase only in the 100 Hz, 100 ± 15 G group after 24 hours.",
"No significant differences were reported for the 50 Hz, 50 ± 10 G group compared with control.",
"The authors conclude that ELF-PEMF effects on proliferation and apoptosis depend on frequency, amplitude, and exposure time."
],
"categories": [
"Cell & Molecular",
"ELF Magnetic Fields",
"Cancer"
],
"tags": [
"ELF-PEMF",
"Glioblastoma",
"U87 Cells",
"Cell Viability",
"Apoptosis",
"Cell Cycle",
"Cyclin-D1",
"P53",
"Caspase-3",
"Frequency-Dependent Effects",
"Amplitude-Dependent Effects",
"In Vitro Study"
],
"keywords": [
"extremely low-frequency",
"pulsed electromagnetic fields",
"ELF-PEMF",
"glioblastoma multiforme",
"U87",
"cell viability",
"apoptosis",
"Cyclin-D1",
"P53",
"Caspase-3"
],
"suggested_hubs": [],
"social": {
"tweet": "In vitro study: ELF pulsed EMFs (10–100 Hz; 50–100 G) produced time- and setting-dependent changes in U87 glioblastoma cell viability and markers (Cyclin-D1, P53, Caspase-3), with some conditions increasing and others decreasing viability.",
"facebook": "A laboratory (in vitro) study exposed U87 glioblastoma cells to extremely low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields at different frequencies and amplitudes. The authors report condition-dependent effects on cell viability and gene expression (Cyclin-D1, P53, Caspase-3), including both increased and decreased viability depending on exposure settings.",
"linkedin": "In vitro evidence: ELF-PEMF exposure (10–100 Hz; 50–100 G) was associated with frequency/amplitude/time-dependent changes in U87 glioblastoma cell viability and expression of Cyclin-D1, P53, and Caspase-3, suggesting mixed proliferative vs antiproliferative responses depending on parameters."
}
}
AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.
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