Azione mutagena del campo e.m. a 50 Hertz

Alleghiamo un art. pubblicato su “Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis”, Volume 626, Issues 1-2, 10 January 2007, Pages 34-41.

Viene dimostrato che irradiando per 12 ore cellule umane in vitro con un campo elettromagnetico a 50 Hertz (energia elettrica) di intensità pari a 1 milliTesla (= 10 volte 100 microTesla), viene indotta un’azione mutagena sul loro DNA pari a 3.75 volte rispetto a cellule non esposte a quel campo e. m. .

Irradiando contemporaneamente le medesime cellule umane in vitro con lo stesso campo e. m. e con raggi gamma (radiazione ionizzante) di intensità pari 0.3 Gray e a 3 Gray, si ha un aumento dell’azione mutagena sul loro DNA pari, rispettivamente, a 2.6 e 2.75 volte rispetto al caso di assenza di esposizione al campo e. m. e di sola irradiazione ai raggi gamma aventi le predette intensità.

Ne deriva, concludono gli autori, che il campo e. m. a 50 Hz non solo ha una propria azione mutagena, ma potenzia l’azione mutagena tipica delle radiazioni ionizzanti.

Coordinamento dei Comitati di Roma Nord.

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Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis Volume 626, Issues 1-2 , 10 January 2007, Pages 34-41 doi:10.1016/j.mrgentox.2006.08.005

Copyright © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microsatellite analysis for determination of the mutagenicity of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields and ionising radiation in vitro

Robert J. Mairs, a), b); Kate Hughes, a); Sara Fitzsimmons, a); Kevin M. Prise, c); Anne Livingstone, a), d); Lesley Wilsona, d); Nazia Baig, a); Anne Marie Clark, a); Alan Timpson, a); Gaurang Patel, c); M. Folkard c); Wilson J. Angerson, e); Marie Boyd, a).

a) Targeted Therapy Group, Division of Cancer Science and Molecular Pathology, Glasgow University, Cancer Research UK Beatson Laboratories, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
b) Department of Child Health, Yorkhill Hospital, Glasgow, UK
c) Gray Cancer Institute, Mount Vernon Hospital, P.O. Box 100, Northwood HA6 2JR, UK
d) Department of Clinical Physics, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, UK
e) Department of Surgery, University of Glasgow, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK

Received 28 March 2006; revised 28 June 2006; accepted 1 August 2006. Available online 20 September 2006.

Abstract

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) have been reported to induce lesions in DNA and to enhance the mutagenicity of ionising radiation. However, the significance of these findings is uncertain because the determination of the carcinogenic potential of EMFs has largely been based on investigations of large  chromosomal aberrations.

Using a more sensitive method of detecting DNA damage involving microsatellite sequences, we observed that exposure of UVW human glioma cells to ELF-EMF alone at a field strength of 1 mT (50 Hz) for 12 h gave rise to 0.011 mutations/locus/cell. This was equivalent to a 3.75-fold increase in mutation induction compared with unexposed controls. Furthermore, ELF-EMF increased the mutagenic capacity of 0.3 and 3 Gy γ-irradiation by factors of 2.6 and 2.75, respectively. These results suggest not only that ELF-EMF is mutagenic as a single agent but also that it can potentiate the mutagenicity of ionising radiation. Treatment with 0.3 Gy induced more than 10 times more mutations per unit dose than irradiation with 3 Gy, indicating hypermutability at low dose.

Corresponding author at: Targeted Therapy Group, Division of Cancer
Science and Molecular Pathology, Glasgow University, Cancer Research
UK Beatson Laboratories, Glasgow G61 1BD, Scotland, UK. Tel.: +44
141 330 4126; fax: +44 141 330 4127