Modulation of cellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production by external magnetic fields

Abstract

This work studied the modulation of production of extracellular, intracellular, and mitochondrial superoxide and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in cultured yeast and isolated mitochondria exposed to external static and weak radio frequency magnetic fields. Cells and isolated mitochondria were exposed to a combination of magnetic fields: 150 μT static fields (Case I); 45 μT static fields in perpendicular to 10 MHz RF signal (Case II); 45 μT static fields in parallel to 10 MHz RF signal (Case III). Controls were exposed to 45 μT static field. H2O2 production was measured by fluorometric technique. The production of H2O2 was evaluated in the presence of inhibitors of the mitochondria respiratory chain. Superoxide production was measured by a set of hydroxylamine spin probes with EPR technique. CAT1‐H detected only extramitochondrial and extracellular superoxide. MitoTEMPO‐H was used to target intramitochondrial superoxide in intact cells. CMH was used to detect superoxide in the cytoplasm. The results presented here suggest that, a) weak static and RF magnetic fields modulate the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, b) complex I of the electron transport chain is involved in the H2O2 production. These findings shed light on the mechanism through which external weak magnetic fields modulate ROS production by modifying mitochondrial functioning.