Effects of Power-Frequency Magnetic Field Exposure on B-Cell Differentiation From Human Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells

Bioelectromagnetics · 2023 · No effect · Low evidence

← Research stream

No effectLow evidencePaper 506

Human HSPCs were continuously exposed (blinded experiments) to a 50 Hz magnetic field at 300 mT for 35 days during B-cell differentiation. The MF-exposed group showed no significant changes versus controls in myeloid/lymphoid percentages, differentiation stag…

Study snapshot

PublicationBioelectromagnetics · 2023

Study typein_vitro

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Effects of Power-Frequency Magnetic Field Exposure on B-Cell Differentiation From Human Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells Takahashi M, Furuya N. Evaluation of the Effects of Power-Frequency Magnetic Field Exposure on B-Cell Differentiation From Human Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells. Bioelectromagnetics. 2023 Apr 18. doi: 10.1002/bem.22447. Abstract The causal relationship between exposure to power-frequency magnetic fields (MFs) and childhood leukemia has long been controversial. The most common type of childhood leukemia is acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia caused by abnormal proliferation of B cells in the early differentiation process. Here, we focused on B-cell early differentiation and aimed to evaluate the effects of exposing cells to power-frequency MF. First, we optimized an in vitro differentiation protocol of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) to B-cell lineages. Following validation of the responsiveness of the protocol to additional stimulations and the uniformity of the experimental conditions, human HSPCs were continuously exposed to 300 mT of 50 Hz MF for 35 days of the differentiation process. These experiments were performed in a blinded manner. The percentages of myeloid or lymphoid cells and their degree of differentiation from pro-B to immature-B cells in the MF-exposed group showed no significant changes compared with those in the control group. Furthermore, the expression levels of recombination-activating gene (RAG)1 and RAG2 in the B cells were also similar to those in the control group. These results indicate that exposure to 50 Hz MF at 300 mT does not affect the human B-cell early differentiation from HSPCs. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Excerpt In conclusion, we exposed human HSPCs to 50 Hz MF at 300 mT throughout B-cell early differentiation using an optimized in vitro protocol, which has reasonable responsiveness (positive or negative) against additional stimulations. We found that exposure to 50 Hz MF at 300 mT may not affect the human B-cell early differentiation from HSPCs and the RAG1 and RAG2 expression in B cells. Given that B-cell differentiation from hCD34+ cells is supported by hMSCs and mesenchymal cells derived from hMSCs via physical contact and production of cytokines [Ichii et al., 2010], the results of this study may also indicate that exposure to 50 Hz MF at 300 mT does not affect the abilities of hMSCs and mesenchymal cells. In conjunction with our previous report [Takahashi and Furuya, 2022], we determined the influence of 50 Hz MF on the differentiation from human mesodermal cells to B-cell lineages. These findings will be useful to draw conclusions regarding the causal relationship between exposure to power-frequency MFs and childhood leukemia. It is known that the risk for leukemogenesis in children under a preleukemic state, although clinically healthy, increases 100 times [Mori et al., 2002]. Hence, evaluation of the effects of exposure to power-frequency MFs on children under a preleukemic state becomes essential, and studying the hiPS cell line harboring the leukemia-specific fusion gene ETV6-RUNX1 [Takahashi and Yamazaki, 2019] would be useful to better understand this aspect.

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typein_vitro

Effect directionno_effect

PopulationHuman hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) differentiated toward B-cell lineages (in vitro)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureELF · 0.05 MHz · continuous exposure for 35 days

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Percentages of myeloid and lymphoid cells during differentiation
Degree of B-cell differentiation (pro-B to immature-B)
RAG1 expression in B cells
RAG2 expression in B cells

Limitations

In vitro model; may not reflect in vivo childhood leukemia biology
Sample size not reported in the provided abstract
Only one exposure condition reported (50 Hz, 300 mT, 35 days)

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "in_vitro",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": 0.05,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "continuous exposure for 35 days"
  },
  "population": "Human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) differentiated toward B-cell lineages (in vitro)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Percentages of myeloid and lymphoid cells during differentiation",
    "Degree of B-cell differentiation (pro-B to immature-B)",
    "RAG1 expression in B cells",
    "RAG2 expression in B cells"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Human HSPCs were continuously exposed (blinded experiments) to a 50 Hz magnetic field at 300 mT for 35 days during B-cell differentiation. The MF-exposed group showed no significant changes versus controls in myeloid/lymphoid percentages, differentiation stage distribution (pro-B to immature-B), or RAG1/RAG2 expression levels.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "In vitro model; may not reflect in vivo childhood leukemia biology",
    "Sample size not reported in the provided abstract",
    "Only one exposure condition reported (50 Hz, 300 mT, 35 days)"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "power-frequency magnetic field",
    "ELF MF",
    "50 Hz",
    "300 mT",
    "hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells",
    "HSPCs",
    "B-cell differentiation",
    "acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia",
    "RAG1",
    "RAG2",
    "blinded"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "childhood-leukemia",
      "weight": 0.72,
      "reason": "Abstract frames the work in relation to the controversial link between power-frequency magnetic fields and childhood leukemia, focusing on early B-cell differentiation."
    }
  ]
}

AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1002/bem.22447
PubMed: 37070790

Read the original paper →

Related papers

← Back to the Research Library