Effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) exposure on B6C3F1 mice

Abstract

Objective Long-term exposure study was conducted to investigate the effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field on the tumor promotion process and fertility. Methods Ten pregnant C57BL/6NCrj mice were exposed to 50 Hz field 500 mG for 1 week (12 h per day), and 24 male and 42 female B6C3F1mice born from them were further exposed up to 15.5 months. As a control group, 10 pregnant mice were bred without exposure, and 30 produced male and 32 female mice were observed without exposure for the same period. Results Mean body weights of exposed groups of male and female mice were decreased significantly than those of the control groups. In exposed mice, there was no increased incidence of liver and lung tumor. In female mice, the incidence of chronic myeloid leukemia [3/42 (7 %)] in the exposed group was significantly greater than in the control group. The size of seminiferous tubules in the EMF exposed groups were significantly less than the control group. Conclusions These data support the hypothesis that longterm exposure of 50 Hz magnetic fields is a significant risk factor for neoplastic development and fertility in mice.

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“…Various studies have indicated that supplementation of vitamin E and C prior and after EMF exposure has a protective effect in EMF induced damage in spleen, blood and body weights of mice 21,22 . Significant decrease was noted in body weights of mice exposed to 50 Hz compared to control 23 .…”

A Plausible Biological Mechanism by which Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields Increase the Risk of Childhood Leukemia

“…This would explain why exposure to ELF-EMFs increases the risk of leukemia in children but not in adults. Accordingly, although carcinogenicity experiments in rodents have been largely negative [62], recent experiments have shown an increased risk of leukemia in rodents exposed to ELF-EMFs from prenatal life [63,64]. Evidence or lack of carcinogenicity in rodents exposed to ELF-EMFs should however be interpreted cautiously, because rodents and humans may not respond equally to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation.…”

Does Continuous Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields Exposure Harms Liver Tissue? A Microscopic Assay

“…A long-term study on the effects of ELF-EMF on the fertility and tumor promotion process has shown that exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields is a significant risk factor for neoplastic development and infertility in mice; however, it has not increased the incidence of liver and lung tumor (22). It has shown that exposing liver cancer BEL-7402 cells to folic acid-modified magnetic nanoparticles (FA-MNPs) in the presence of 100 Hz ELF-EMF, significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced higher apoptosis (23).…”