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Effects of Fifty-Hertz Electromagnetic Fields on Granulocytic Differentiation of ATRA-Treated Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia NB4 Cells.

Cellular physiology and biochemistry : international journal of experimental cellular physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology · 2018 · Benefit · Low evidence

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BenefitLow evidencePaper 5546

In ATRA-treated NB4 cells, 50 Hz (2 mT) ELF-EMF exposure decreased cellular proliferation potential and promoted granulocytic maturation/differentiation. ROS production and ERK1/2 phosphorylation analyses suggested altered intracellular oxidative balance may …

Study snapshot

PublicationCellular physiology and biochemistry : international journal of experimental cellular physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology · 2018
Study typein_vitro
Reported directionBenefit
Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Life on Earth is constantly exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and the effects induced by EMFs on biological systems have been extensively studied producing different and sometimes contradictory results. Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) have shown to play a role in regulating cell proliferation and differentiation, although how EMFs influence these processes remains unclear. Human acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells are characterized by the arrest of differentiation at the promyelocytic stage due to epigenetic perturbations induced by PML/RARα fusion protein (Promyelocytic Leukemia protein - PML/Retinoic Acid Receptor alpha - RARα). Therapeutic administration of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) re-establishes the leukemogenic mechanism re-inducing the normal differentiation processes. METHODS: We studied the effects of ELF-EMFs (50 Hz, 2 mT) on the ATRA-mediated granulocytic differentiation process of APL NB4 cells (a cell line established from the bone marrow of a patient affected by the acute promyelocytic leukemia) by monitoring cellular proliferation and morphology, nitrob lue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction and the expression of differentiation surface markers. Finally, we investigated mechanisms focusing on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and related molecular pathways. RESULTS: ELF-EMF exposure decreases cellular proliferation potential and helps ATRA-treated NB4 cells to mature. Furthermore, the analysis of ROS production and the consequent extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK1/2) phosphorylation suggest that a changed intracellular oxidative balance may influence the biological effects of ELF-EMFs. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the exposure to ELF-EMF promotes ATRA-induced granulocytic differentiation of APL cells.

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 directionbenefit
PopulationHuman acute promyelocytic leukemia NB4 cell line (ATRA-treated)
Sample sizeNot supplied
ExposureELF · 0.05 MHz
Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In ATRA-treated NB4 cells, 50 Hz (2 mT) ELF-EMF exposure decreased cellular proliferation potential and promoted granulocytic maturation/differentiation. ROS production and ERK1/2 phosphorylation analyses suggested altered intracellular oxidative balance may be involved.

Outcomes measured

  • Cellular proliferation
  • Granulocytic differentiation/maturation (morphology)
  • Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction
  • Expression of differentiation surface markers
  • Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production
  • ERK1/2 phosphorylation

Limitations

  • In vitro cell-line study; findings may not generalize to humans or clinical outcomes
  • Exposure duration not reported in the abstract
  • Sample size/replication details not reported in the abstract
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "in_vitro",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": 0.05,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Human acute promyelocytic leukemia NB4 cell line (ATRA-treated)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Cellular proliferation",
    "Granulocytic differentiation/maturation (morphology)",
    "Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction",
    "Expression of differentiation surface markers",
    "Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production",
    "ERK1/2 phosphorylation"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In ATRA-treated NB4 cells, 50 Hz (2 mT) ELF-EMF exposure decreased cellular proliferation potential and promoted granulocytic maturation/differentiation. ROS production and ERK1/2 phosphorylation analyses suggested altered intracellular oxidative balance may be involved.",
  "effect_direction": "benefit",
  "limitations": [
    "In vitro cell-line study; findings may not generalize to humans or clinical outcomes",
    "Exposure duration not reported in the abstract",
    "Sample size/replication details not reported in the abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields",
    "ELF-EMF",
    "50 Hz",
    "2 mT",
    "acute promyelocytic leukemia",
    "NB4 cells",
    "ATRA",
    "granulocytic differentiation",
    "cell proliferation",
    "ROS",
    "ERK1/2"
  ],
  "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: 10.1159/000488473
PubMed: 29590658

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