Enhanced cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of gadolinium following ELF-EMF irradiation in human lymphocytes

Abstract

There are many studies of Gd nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity, whereas research on cyto- and genotoxicity in normal human lymphocytes is scarce. It is important to investigate the effect of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on Gd toxicity, as patients are co-exposed to Gd and ELF-EMF generated by MRI scanners. We investigated the cytotoxicity and genotoixcity of Gd and the possible enhancing effect of ELF-EMF on Gd toxicity in cultured human lymphocytes by performing a micronuclei (MN) assay, trypan blue dye exclusion, single cell gel electrophoresis, and apoptosis analyses using flow cytometry. Isolated lymphocytes were exposed to 0.2-1.2 mM of Gd only or in combination with a 60-Hz ELF-EMF of 0.8-mT field strength. Exposing human lymphocytes to Gd resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent decrease in cell viability and an increase in MN frequency, single strand DNA breakage, apoptotic cell death, and ROS production. ELF-EMF (0.8 mT) exposure also increased cell death, MN frequency, olive tail moment, and apoptosis induced by Gd treatment alone. These results suggest that Gd induces DNA damage and apoptotic cell death in human lymphocytes and that ELF-EMF enhances the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of Gd.

A histological and immunohistochemical study on the possible protective role of silymarin on cerebellar cortex neurotoxicity of lactating albino rats and their pups induced by gibberellic acid during late pregnancy and early postnatal period

“…Silymarin is found in the seeds of silybium marianum. It is standardized as a mixture of antioxidant flavonolignans [9] . Silymarin consists of four flavonolignanisomers; silybin, isosilybin, silydianin and silychristin.…”

Biological Effects of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance on Human Blood Cells

“…The timeframe and lasting effects of low-frequency electromagnetic fields on DNA depend on several factors, such as the cell type, the efficacy of DNA repair (consistent with H2AX dephosphorylation), the mode of exposure, the type of magnetic waves (static magnetic field, radiofrequency pulses, and gradient magnetic fields), the intensity and duration of exposure, and the use of contrast agent. [15][16][17][18][19][20][21] During CMR, all these factors can contribute at different degrees to DNA damage. Iron-mediated reactive oxygen In the study of Fiechter et al, 11 the potentially higher absorbed energy and the concomitant use of gadolinium could participate and potentiate the early onset of DNA strand breaks.…”

“…20 So it could be that the joint administration of the contrast agent would accelerate the DNA damage processes. We extend the data of Fiechter et al 11 by showing that CMR is able to induce DNA lesion by itself, at similar level when analyses are performed after 2 days (2-fold increase in γ-H2AX intensity as in Fiechter et al's 11 study).…”

Biologic effects of radiation from cardiac imaging: New insights from proteomic and genomic analyses

“…Lancellotti and colleagues 10 evaluated the effects of a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) study on peripheral blood counts, activation of leukocyte subsets and platelets, evidence of DNA damage in the form of H2AX phosphorylation, and evidence of cell death (apoptosis evaluated by the Annexin V apoptosis detection kit, and necrosis measured by caspase 3/7 activation). Twenty healthy men who underwent an unenhanced (without gadolinium, for which there are limited data suggesting possible genotoxic effects 11 )…”