Evaluation of the potential promoting effect of 60 Hz magnetic fields on N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea induced neurogenic tumors in female F344 rats

Abstract

The present study investigated the possible effect of 60 Hz magnetic fields (MFs) as promoters of neurogenic tumors initiated transplacentally by a chemical carcinogen, N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). In a preliminary study, 5 mg of ENU was shown to induce 30 to 40% neurogenic tumors in F344 rats offspring after 420 days of observation. In the present study, 400 female rats were divided into eight different groups (50 animals/group) and exposed in utero (on day 18 of gestation) to a single intravenous dose of either Saline (Group I), or ENU, 5 mg/kg (Group II to VIII). Dams in group II were given no further treatment while dams in Groups III to VII were exposed to 5 different intensities of MFs forty eight hours later. Animals in group III were sham exposed (<0.02 microT) while groups IV to VII were exposed to 2, 20, 200, and 2000 microT, respectively. Dams in Group VIII were injected intraperitoneally with 12-O-tetradecanoylphrobol-13-acetate (TPA; 10 micrograms/kg) from day 19 until delivery, and then their female offspring continued to be injected every 15 days, starting at day 14 after birth until sacrifice (positive controls). Accordingly, this study included three different types of controls: Internal controls (Groups II and III) and positive control (Group VIII). Body weight, mortality and clinical observations were evaluated in all groups of animals during in-life exposure. Necropsy was performed on all exposed and control animals that died, were found moribund or sacrificed at termination of the study. Histopathological evaluation was done for all brains, spinal cords, cranial nerves, major organs (lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, pituitary, thyroid and adrenals) and all gross lesions observed during necropsy. All clinical observations and pathological evaluations were conducted under "blinded" conditions. The findings from this ENU/MFs promotion study clearly demonstrate that, under our defined experimental conditions, exposure to 60 Hz linear (single axis) sinusoidal, continuous wave MFs had no effect on the survival of female F344 rats or on the number of animals bearing neurogenic tumors. These results suggest that MFs have no promoting effect on neurogenic tumors in the female F344 rats exposed transplacentally to ENU.

Effect of Static Magnetic Field on the Induction of Micronuclei by Some Mutagens

“…On the other hand, Ansari and Hei reported that concurrent EMF (0.1 mT at 60 Hz) treatment dose not increase either the cytotoxicity or the degree of induction of CD59 − mutants by graded doses of γ-rays or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in A L cells (26). Mandeville et al reported that 0.002-2 mT at 60 Hz EMFs have no promoter effect on neurogenic tumors in F344 female rats exposed to ENU transplacentally (27). The intensity of EMF employed in that study is considered to be very low to promote the induction of tumors by ENU.…”

Residential and occupational exposure to 50‐Hz magnetic fields and brain tumours in Norway: A population‐based study

“…However, studies in rodents evaluating brain tumour promotion have also been negative and have not given support for this idea. 24,25 The tendency toward an inverse association of occupational exposure may be the result of the crude exposure classification. The occupational exposure matrix was based only on job titles and branch of industry; no individual measurements were undertaken.…”

Recent Advances in Research on Radiofrequency Fields and Health

“…In another recent study, Mandeville et al, (2000) investigated the possible effect of 60 Hz magnetic fields as promoters of neurogenic tumors initiated transplacentally by ENU. Female Fischer rats were divided into eight different groups (50 animals/group) and exposed in utero (on day 18 of gestation) to a single intravenous dose of either saline (group I), or 5 mg/kg of ENU (groups II to VIII).…”