Phagocytosis of latex beads by a human monocytic Mono Mac 6 cell line and effects of low-frequency electromagnetic field interaction.

Journal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society · 2023 · Mixed · Very low evidence

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MixedVery low evidencePaper 5783

Study snapshot

PublicationJournal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society · 2023

Study typein_vitro

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingVery low

Abstract

Some studies have shown that electromagnetic fields (EMFs) may impact immune response cells and their functions. The first stage of the defense from pathogens is innate immunity encompassing phagocytosis and phagocytosis-related intracellular effects. Our work aimed to determine the influence of a low-frequency electromagnetic field (7 Hz, 30 mT) on the phagocytosis process of latex beads (LBs), the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and viability changes in a human monocytic Mono Mac 6 (MM6) cell line as an experimental model of the phagocytosing cells in in vitro cell culture conditions. For these purposes, cells were firstly activated with infectious agents such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), or the proliferatory agent phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), and then a phagocytosis test was performed. Cell viability and range of phagocytosis of latex beads by MM6 cells were measured by flow cytometry, and the level of ROS was evaluated with the use of a cytochrome C reduction test. The obtained results revealed that applied EMF exposure mainly increased the necrosis parameter of cell death when they were pre-stimulated with SEB as an infectious factor and subsequently phagocytosed LBs (P=0.001). Prestimulation with other agents like LPS or PHA preceding phagocytosis resulted in no statistically significant changes in cell death parameters. The level of ROS depended on the used stimulatory agent, phagocytosis, and/or EMF exposure. The obtained effects for EMF exposure indicated only a slight decrease in the ROS level for cells phagocytosing latex beads and being treated with SEB or PHA, while the opposite effect was observed for LPS pre-stimulated cells (data not statistically significant). The results concerning the viability of phagocytosing cells, the effectiveness of the phagocytosis process, and the level of radical forms might result from applied EMF parameters like signal waveform, frequency, flux density, and especially single EMF exposure.

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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

PopulationHuman monocytic Mono Mac 6 (MM6) cell line (in vitro)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureELF · 0.007 MHz

Evidence strengthVery lowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In MM6 cells exposed to a low-frequency EMF (7 Hz, 30 mT), necrosis increased mainly in cells pre-stimulated with staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and subsequently phagocytosing latex beads (P=0.001). No statistically significant changes in cell death parameters were observed with LPS or PHA prestimulation. EMF exposure was associated with slight, non-significant ROS decreases in SEB- or PHA-treated phagocytosing cells and a non-significant opposite trend in LPS-prestimulated cells.

Outcomes measured

Phagocytosis of latex beads
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production
Cell viability/cell death (necrosis parameter)

Limitations

In vitro cell line model; may not generalize to in vivo immune function
Sample size not reported in abstract
Several reported ROS effects were not statistically significant
Exposure duration and waveform not specified in abstract
Effects depended on prestimulation conditions (SEB vs LPS vs PHA), complicating interpretation

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "in_vitro",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": 0.007,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Human monocytic Mono Mac 6 (MM6) cell line (in vitro)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Phagocytosis of latex beads",
    "Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production",
    "Cell viability/cell death (necrosis parameter)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In MM6 cells exposed to a low-frequency EMF (7 Hz, 30 mT), necrosis increased mainly in cells pre-stimulated with staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and subsequently phagocytosing latex beads (P=0.001). No statistically significant changes in cell death parameters were observed with LPS or PHA prestimulation. EMF exposure was associated with slight, non-significant ROS decreases in SEB- or PHA-treated phagocytosing cells and a non-significant opposite trend in LPS-prestimulated cells.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "In vitro cell line model; may not generalize to in vivo immune function",
    "Sample size not reported in abstract",
    "Several reported ROS effects were not statistically significant",
    "Exposure duration and waveform not specified in abstract",
    "Effects depended on prestimulation conditions (SEB vs LPS vs PHA), complicating interpretation"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "very_low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "extremely low frequency",
    "ELF EMF",
    "7 Hz",
    "30 mT",
    "Mono Mac 6",
    "monocytic cells",
    "phagocytosis",
    "latex beads",
    "reactive oxygen species",
    "ROS",
    "necrosis",
    "cell viability",
    "LPS",
    "staphylococcal enterotoxin B",
    "phytohaemagglutinin"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "who-icnirp",
      "weight": 0.2,
      "reason": "Study concerns biological effects of low-frequency EMF exposure, relevant to general EMF health-risk evaluation."
    }
  ]
}

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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: 10.26402/jpp.2023.2.10
PubMed: 37453098

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