Lack of an EMF-induced genotoxic effect in the ames assay

Static magnetic fields affect calcium fluxes and inhibit stress‐induced apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells

“…Consistent data have indicated that MFs influence Ca 2ϩ fluxes (12)(13)(14). Intracellular calcium concentration affects many different targets, which change from cell to cell and within cells, leading to cellular function or malfunction.…”

Bioeffects of moderate-intensity static magnetic fields on cell cultures

“…Static and 50 Hz MFs are claimed to stimulate multiple responses in the cells: (i) they interfere with the proliferation capability of mammalian cells in vitro (Ross, 1990); (ii) they enhance the mutation rates of cells exposed to various mutagenic compounds (Nordenson et al, 1994;Miyakoshi et al, 1996); (iii) they increase the survival of tumor cells after cytocidal therapies (Liburdy et al, 1993); (iv) they increase the tumor rate in cancer-susceptible mice strains (Morandi et al, 1996); (v) they influence neoplastic development through alterations in the expression of cancer related genes (Loberg et al, 2000). Other studies have indicated effects of MFs on the different functions of subcellular organelles; MFs induce (i) lipid peroxidation and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Ishisaka et al, 2000); (ii) DNA damage (Fiorani et al, 1992); (iii) intracellular Ca 2C signalling (Lyle et al, 1997).…”

“…More and more evidence has been gathered during the last few years concerning the hazardous consequences of socalled 'electromagnetic pollution'. However, even though epidemiological studies have repeatedly tried to correlate MF or EMF exposure with increased incidence of cancer, no direct evidence for genotoxicity or mutagenicity have ever been demonstrated (Morandi et al, 1996;Ikehata et al, 1999). EMFs are better considered as co-carcinogenic factors when present in combination with known genotoxic and/or non-genotoxic carcinogens (Loscher and Liburdy, 1998).…”

Cytogenetic and morphologic subgroups of myelodysplastic syndromes in relation to occupational and hobby exposures

“…Contrary to the findings of an Italian study (21), our analyses by morphological subgroup did not indicate that subgroups with a high transformation rate to acute leukemia (implying a poor prognosis) were generally associated with exposures to potentially genotoxic agents. Exposure to EMF has been suggested to have a tumor promoter or co-promoter effect rather than a direct mutagenic effect (38,39), but numerous experimental animal studies have failed to show an association between EMF and leukemogenesis (38). Most of the subjects exposed to EMF in our study had a long duration of exposure within the investigated 20-year time span (median duration 14 years for both the both cases and the referents; not in results), and this long duration of exposure made it impossible to determine the effect of EMF in more narrow time spans.…”