A 3 milliTesla 60 Hz magnetic field is neither mutagenic nor co-mutagenic in the presence of menadione and MNU in a transgenic rat cell line.

Mutation research · 1996 · No effect · Low evidence

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No effectLow evidencePaper 4232

Mutant frequencies were measured after exposure to a 60 Hz 3 mT magnetic field alone, after pretreatment with MNU or menadione followed by magnetic-field exposure, and during concurrent exposure to mutagens and the magnetic field. The results did not indicate…

Study snapshot

PublicationMutation research · 1996

Study typein_vitro

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

The mechanisms by which an electromagnetic field (EMF) influences biological material are poorly understood. One potentially important model suggests that a magnetic field can stabilize free radicals in such a way as to permit their dispersement rather than their return to the ground state (Okazaki et al., 1988; Scaiano, 1995). We have tested this hypothesis by examining mutagenesis in the E. coli lacI gene target carried in the Big Blue rat embryo fibroblast cell line, R2 lambda LIZ. Mutant frequencies were determined in cells exposed to a magnetic field, cells pretreated with the mutagens N-methylnitrosourea (MNU) or 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (menadione), prior to being held in a 60 Hz 3 milliTesla (mT) magnetic field and cells concurrently exposed to the mutagens and the magnetic field. Menadione was selected because its mutagenic mechanism involves the formation of free radicals, while MNU is an alkylating agent not thought to act through radical formation. According to the radical stabilization hypothesis the application of a magnetic field to menadione treated cells would accentuate the mutagenic effects. Our results failed to indicate that the magnetic field affects mutagenesis by the oxygen-radical mediated mutagen, menadione.

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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 directionno_effect

PopulationBig Blue rat embryo fibroblast cell line (R2 lambda LIZ) carrying E. coli lacI gene target

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureELF · 0.06 MHz

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Mutant frequency/mutagenesis in E. coli lacI gene target

Limitations

Exposure duration not reported in abstract
Sample size and number of replicates not reported in abstract
Results for MNU conditions not explicitly stated in the abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "in_vitro",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": 0.06,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Big Blue rat embryo fibroblast cell line (R2 lambda LIZ) carrying E. coli lacI gene target",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Mutant frequency/mutagenesis in E. coli lacI gene target"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Mutant frequencies were measured after exposure to a 60 Hz 3 mT magnetic field alone, after pretreatment with MNU or menadione followed by magnetic-field exposure, and during concurrent exposure to mutagens and the magnetic field. The results did not indicate that the magnetic field affected mutagenesis by the oxygen-radical mediated mutagen menadione.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "Exposure duration not reported in abstract",
    "Sample size and number of replicates not reported in abstract",
    "Results for MNU conditions not explicitly stated in the abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "ELF magnetic field",
    "60 Hz",
    "3 mT",
    "mutagenesis",
    "lacI",
    "Big Blue",
    "rat embryo fibroblast",
    "menadione",
    "MNU",
    "free radical stabilization hypothesis"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.25,
      "reason": "Study uses a 60 Hz magnetic field exposure relevant to ELF environments, though no specific occupational setting is described."
    }
  ]
}

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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: 10.1016/s0027-5107(96)00105-4
PubMed: 9003528

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