Effects of an extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field on stress factors: a study in Dictyostelium discoideum cells.

European journal of protistology · 2013 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 4617

Study snapshot

PublicationEuropean journal of protistology · 2013

Study typeanimal

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

The development of technologies that generate environmental electromagnetic fields (EMFs) has led public opinion and the scientific community to debate upon the existence of possible effects caused by man-made EMFs on the human population and, more generally, on terrestrial ecosystems. Protozoa are known to be excellent bioassay systems in bioelectromagnetic studies because of their features that combine the reliability of in vivo results with the practicality of in vitro ones. For this reason, we examined the possible stressful effects of a 50-Hz, 300-μT extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) on the protozoan Dictyostelium discoideum, which was used as it is included in the eight bioassay alternatives to vertebrate models for the study of human disease by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Our results show how a 24-h exposure of D. discoideum cells to ELF-EMF can affect the net fission rate, the activity and presence of the pseudocholinesterase as well as the presence of the heat shock protein-70, while no change in the catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities was observed. However, this effect seems to be transient and all the altered parameters returned to their respective control value after a 24-h stay under dummy exposure conditions.

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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 typeanimal

Effect directionmixed

PopulationDictyostelium discoideum cells (protozoan)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureELF · 0.05 MHz · 24 h

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

A 24-h exposure to a 50-Hz, 300-μT ELF-EMF affected net fission rate, pseudocholinesterase activity/presence, and heat shock protein-70 presence in Dictyostelium discoideum cells, while catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities did not change. The observed effects were described as transient, with altered parameters returning to control values after 24 h under dummy exposure conditions.

Outcomes measured

Net fission rate
Pseudocholinesterase activity
Pseudocholinesterase presence
Heat shock protein-70 presence
Catalase activity
Glutathione peroxidase activity

Limitations

Sample size not reported in abstract
Only one exposure condition described (50 Hz, 300 μT; 24 h)
Findings reported in a protozoan cell model; human relevance not addressed in results

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": "other",
    "frequency_mhz": 0.05,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "24 h"
  },
  "population": "Dictyostelium discoideum cells (protozoan)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Net fission rate",
    "Pseudocholinesterase activity",
    "Pseudocholinesterase presence",
    "Heat shock protein-70 presence",
    "Catalase activity",
    "Glutathione peroxidase activity"
  ],
  "main_findings": "A 24-h exposure to a 50-Hz, 300-μT ELF-EMF affected net fission rate, pseudocholinesterase activity/presence, and heat shock protein-70 presence in Dictyostelium discoideum cells, while catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities did not change. The observed effects were described as transient, with altered parameters returning to control values after 24 h under dummy exposure conditions.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Sample size not reported in abstract",
    "Only one exposure condition described (50 Hz, 300 μT; 24 h)",
    "Findings reported in a protozoan cell model; human relevance not addressed in results"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field",
    "ELF-EMF",
    "50 Hz",
    "300 μT",
    "Dictyostelium discoideum",
    "stress factors",
    "pseudocholinesterase",
    "HSP70",
    "catalase",
    "glutathione peroxidase",
    "net fission rate"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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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/j.ejop.2012.12.002
PubMed: 23583188

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