Experimental model for ELF-EMF exposure: Concern for human health.

PAPER pubmed Saudi journal of biological sciences 2015 In vitro study Effect: mixed Evidence: Very low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2014.07.006 PMID: 25561888 Evidence Lab

Abstract

Low frequency (LF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are abundantly present in modern society and in the last 20 years the interest about the possible effect of extremely low frequency (ELF) EMFs on human health has increased progressively. Epidemiological studies, designed to verify whether EMF exposure may be a potential risk factor for health, have led to controversial results. The possible association between EMFs and an increased incidence of childhood leukemia, brain tumors or neurodegenerative diseases was not fully elucidated. On the other hand, EMFs are widely used, in neurology, psychiatry, rheumatology, orthopedics and dermatology, both in diagnosis and in therapy. In vitro studies may help to evaluate the mechanism by which LF-EMFs affect biological systems. In vitro model of wound healing used keratinocytes (HaCaT), neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) as a model for analysis of differentiation, metabolism and functions related to neurodegenerative processes, and monocytic cell line (THP-1) was used as a model for inflammation and cytokines production, while leukemic cell line (K562) was used as a model for hematopoietic differentiation. MCP-1, a chemokine that regulates the migration and infiltration of memory T cells, natural killer (NK), monocytes and epithelial cells, has been demonstrated to be induced and involved in various diseases. Since, varying the parameters of EMFs different effects may be observed, we have studied MCP-1 expression in HaCaT, SH-SY5Y, THP-1 and K562 exposed to a sinusoidal EMF at 50 Hz frequency with a flux density of 1 mT (rms). Our preliminary results showed that EMF-exposure differently modifies the expression of MCP-1 in different cell types. Thus, the MCP-1 expression needs to be better determined, with additional studies, with different parameters and times of exposure to ELF-EMF.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

In vitro study

Effect direction

mixed

Population

—

Sample size

—

Exposure

ELF · 0.05 MHz

Evidence strength

Very low

Confidence: 74% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

Cells (HaCaT, SH-SY5Y, THP-1, K562) exposed to a sinusoidal 50 Hz EMF at 1 mT (rms) showed cell-type-dependent changes in MCP-1 expression. The authors describe these as preliminary results and state that additional studies with different exposure parameters and times are needed.

Outcomes measured

MCP-1 expression
Inflammation/cytokine-related responses (via MCP-1)

Limitations

Epidemiological evidence described as controversial and associations with disease not fully elucidated
Results described as preliminary
Effects varied by cell type
Need for additional studies with different exposure parameters and exposure times
Exposure duration not reported in abstract

Suggested hubs

occupational-exposure (0.2)
Discusses ubiquitous LF/ELF EMF exposure in society, but no specific occupational setting is studied.

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "in_vitro",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "ELF",
        "source": null,
        "frequency_mhz": 0.05000000000000000277555756156289135105907917022705078125,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": null
    },
    "population": null,
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "MCP-1 expression",
        "Inflammation/cytokine-related responses (via MCP-1)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Cells (HaCaT, SH-SY5Y, THP-1, K562) exposed to a sinusoidal 50 Hz EMF at 1 mT (rms) showed cell-type-dependent changes in MCP-1 expression. The authors describe these as preliminary results and state that additional studies with different exposure parameters and times are needed.",
    "effect_direction": "mixed",
    "limitations": [
        "Epidemiological evidence described as controversial and associations with disease not fully elucidated",
        "Results described as preliminary",
        "Effects varied by cell type",
        "Need for additional studies with different exposure parameters and exposure times",
        "Exposure duration not reported in abstract"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "very_low",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "extremely low frequency",
        "ELF-EMF",
        "low frequency electromagnetic fields",
        "50 Hz",
        "1 mT",
        "MCP-1",
        "chemokine",
        "HaCaT",
        "SH-SY5Y",
        "THP-1",
        "K562",
        "in vitro"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "occupational-exposure",
            "weight": 0.200000000000000011102230246251565404236316680908203125,
            "reason": "Discusses ubiquitous LF/ELF EMF exposure in society, but no specific occupational setting is studied."
        }
    ]
}

AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

Comments

No comments yet.