Abstract
There is a growing concern if the power-line frequency (50/60 Hz) magnetic field (termed in this paper ELF-MF) increases cancer risks. Since one of the major causes of cancer is cellular oxidative stress, whether the ELF-MF increases the oxidative stress is a central problem in the studies on the biological effect of the ELF-MF. Here, we have investigated the effect of 50-Hz sinusoidal magnetic field on the production of O2-, the expression of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 and the mitochondrial membrane potential in cell line macrophage RAW264 cells. Macrophages were exposed to or not exposed to 0.1-mT or 0.5-mT, 50-Hz sinusoidal magnetic field and were subjected to (1) assay for O2- (2) analysis of the expression of HSP70, and (3) measurement of the mitochondrial membrane potential with a fluorescent indicator. The 50-Hz magnetic field enhanced production of O2- and the expression of HSP70, both of which are consistent with previous studies. The exposure to 50-Hz magnetic field decreased mitochondrial membrane potential indicating the diminished activity of mitochondria. The uncoupler of mitochondrial function, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone diminished the membrane potential, as expected. On the other hand, it increased the production of O2-. The results collectively suggest that the 50-Hz magnetic field diminished the mitochondrial membrane potential, which led to the increase in the production of O2- and the expression of HSP70 protein.
Highlights
The rapid development of telecommunication technology in recent years is accompanied by an explosive increase in the number of electronic devices
We have investigated the effect of 50-Hz sinusoidal magnetic field on the production of O2, the expression of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 and the mitochondrial membrane potential in cell line macrophage RAW264 cells
The results collectively suggest that the 50-Hz magnetic field diminished the mitochondrial membrane potential, which led to the increase in the production of O2- and the expression of HSP70 protein
Summary
The rapid development of telecommunication technology in recent years is accompanied by an explosive increase in the number of electronic devices. This is only one consequence of the ever-increasing usage of electricity in every aspect of human activities. The increasing electrical activities contribute to the generation of electromagnetic fields with a wide range of frequencies and intensities. The biological effect of the environmental electromagnetic fields has been a public concern during a past few decades, because the increase in health risks such as childhood leukemia or brain tumor have been repeatedly pointed out (the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), 2010); Report of partial findings of National Toxicology Program, 2016). The World Health Organization (2007) has classified ELF-MFs as class 2B, a possible carcinogen to humans
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