Exposure to 60 Hz magnetic field can affect membrane proteins and membrane potential in human cancer cells

Electromagnetic biology and medicine · 2021 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 1070

Study snapshot

PublicationElectromagnetic biology and medicine · 2021

Study typein_vitro

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Exposure to 60 Hz magnetic field can affect membrane proteins and membrane potential in human cancer cells Seiya Hayashi, Makiko Kakikawa. Exposure to 60 Hz magnetic field can affect membrane proteins and membrane potential in human cancer cells. Electromagn Biol Med. 2021 Aug 15;1-8. doi: 10.1080/15368378.2021.1958340. Abstract The experimental data support the hypothesis that extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) can affect cell membranes. Since our previous studies suggested that MF changes the permeability of cell membrane, in this study we focused on the cell membrane and investigated the effect of 60 Hz, 50 mT MF on the membrane potential and membrane proteins. The membrane potentials of three cultured human cancer cell lines, A549, MES-SA, and MES-SA/Dx5, were increased by exposure to ELF-MF. When exposed to MF and an anticancer drug, changes in the membrane potentials were detected in A549 and MES-SA cells, but not in the multi drug-resistant cells, MES-SA/Dx5. We examined whether MF has an influence on the membrane proteins extracted from cultured A549 cells, using DiBAC4(3) dye enhanced fluorescence binding to a hydrophobic site. The increase in fluorescence observed following MF exposure for 10 min indicated that the structure of the hydrophobic site on the membrane proteins changed and became more likely to bind the probe dye. A decrease in fluorescence was detected following exposure to MF for 240 min. These results indicated that 60 Hz, 50 mT MF causes changes in the membrane potential of cultured cancer cells and the conformation of membrane proteins extracted from cultured cancer cells, and has different effects depending on the exposure time. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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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 directionmixed

PopulationCultured human cancer cell lines (A549, MES-SA, MES-SA/Dx5) and membrane proteins extracted from A549 cells

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureELF · 0.06 MHz · 10 min and 240 min (also mentions exposure with anticancer drug; duration not specified)

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Exposure to a 60 Hz, 50 mT magnetic field increased membrane potentials in three cultured human cancer cell lines (A549, MES-SA, MES-SA/Dx5). With combined magnetic field exposure and an anticancer drug, membrane potential changes were detected in A549 and MES-SA but not in MES-SA/Dx5. In membrane proteins extracted from A549 cells, DiBAC4(3) fluorescence increased after 10 min exposure and decreased after 240 min exposure, suggesting time-dependent changes in a hydrophobic binding site.

Outcomes measured

Membrane potential changes
DiBAC4(3) dye fluorescence binding to membrane proteins (hydrophobic site)
Conformation/structure changes in membrane proteins
Differential response with anticancer drug co-exposure across cell lines

Limitations

In vitro study in cultured cancer cell lines; generalizability to humans not addressed in abstract
Sample size and replication not reported in abstract
Exposure conditions beyond frequency/intensity and two time points not fully described
Mechanistic interpretation based on dye binding; direct structural confirmation not described in abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "in_vitro",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": 0.06,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "10 min and 240 min (also mentions exposure with anticancer drug; duration not specified)"
  },
  "population": "Cultured human cancer cell lines (A549, MES-SA, MES-SA/Dx5) and membrane proteins extracted from A549 cells",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Membrane potential changes",
    "DiBAC4(3) dye fluorescence binding to membrane proteins (hydrophobic site)",
    "Conformation/structure changes in membrane proteins",
    "Differential response with anticancer drug co-exposure across cell lines"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Exposure to a 60 Hz, 50 mT magnetic field increased membrane potentials in three cultured human cancer cell lines (A549, MES-SA, MES-SA/Dx5). With combined magnetic field exposure and an anticancer drug, membrane potential changes were detected in A549 and MES-SA but not in MES-SA/Dx5. In membrane proteins extracted from A549 cells, DiBAC4(3) fluorescence increased after 10 min exposure and decreased after 240 min exposure, suggesting time-dependent changes in a hydrophobic binding site.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "In vitro study in cultured cancer cell lines; generalizability to humans not addressed in abstract",
    "Sample size and replication not reported in abstract",
    "Exposure conditions beyond frequency/intensity and two time points not fully described",
    "Mechanistic interpretation based on dye binding; direct structural confirmation not described in abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "extremely low frequency magnetic field",
    "ELF-MF",
    "60 Hz",
    "50 mT",
    "membrane potential",
    "membrane proteins",
    "A549",
    "MES-SA",
    "MES-SA/Dx5",
    "DiBAC4(3)",
    "cancer cells",
    "in vitro"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "mechanisms-membrane-potential",
      "weight": 0.78,
      "reason": "Assesses ELF-MF effects on membrane potential and membrane protein conformation in cultured cells."
    }
  ]
}

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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: 10.1080/15368378.2021.1958340
PubMed: 34396886

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