Abstract
The effects produced by electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on human beings at extremely low frequencies (ELFs) have being investigated in the past years, across in vitro studies, using different cell lines. Nevertheless, the effects produced on cells are not clarified, and the cellular mechanisms and cell-signaling processes involved are still unknown. This situation has resulted in a division among the scientific community about the adequacy of the recommended level of exposure. In this sense, we consider that it is necessary to develop long-term exposure studies and check if the recommended levels of EMFs are under thermal effects. Hence, we exposed CT2A cells to different EMFs at different ELFs at short and long times. Our results showed frequency dependence in CT2A exposed during 24 h to a small EMF of 30 μT equal to those originated by the Earth and frequency dependence after the exposure during seven days to an EMF of 100 µT at different ELFs. Particularly, our results showed a remarkable cell viability decrease of CT2A cells exposed to EMFs of 30 Hz. Nevertheless, after analyzing the thermal effects in terms of HSP90 expression, we did not find thermal damages related to the differences in cell viability, so other crucial cellular mechanism should be involved.
Highlights
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are the physical combination of electric fields and magnetic fields, which constitutes one of the four fundamental forces [1]
The effect on CT2A cell viability after the exposure during 7 days to a 100 μT intermittent EMF (12 h coils on/12 h coils off per day) at different extremely low frequencies (ELFs) was measured by XTT assay (Figure 2)
Through our study of long-term exposure to a 100 μT EMF to different ELF and our study of the effect produced by a 30 μT EMF equal to the earth field [22] at the different frequencies of the Schuman resonance [23], we corroborated that frequency is determinant in cell viability
Summary
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are the physical combination of electric fields and magnetic fields, which constitutes one of the four fundamental forces [1]. They are created both naturally by the earth and artificial by the human [2]. Notwithstanding, from 2000 to 2004, the adequacy of the recommended levels was studied by the joint research Reflex project, where, among other results, it was showed that effects of EMF exposure on cell viability depend on the cell line [4]. In a recent in vitro study of the effects of ELF-EMF focused on glioblastomas we have found cell viability dependence on frequency [5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
