Effects of long-term 50Hz power-line frequency electromagnetic field on cell behavior in Balb/c 3T3 cells

PLoS One. 2015 Feb 19;10(2):e0117672. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117672. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Power-line frequency electromagnetic field (PF-EMF) was reported as a human carcinogen by some epidemiological research, but the conclusion is lack of robust experiment evidence. To identify the effects of long-term PF-EMF exposure on cell behavior, Balb/c 3T3 cells in exponential growth phase were exposed or sham-exposed to 50 Hertz (Hz) PF-EMF at 2.3 mT for 2 hours (h) one day, 5 days every week. After 11 weeks exposure, cells were collected instantly. Cell morphology was observed under invert microscope and Giemsa staining, cell viability was detected by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, cell cycle and apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry, the protein level of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) and CyclinD1 was detected by western blot, cell transformation was examined by soft agar clone assay and plate clone forming test, and cell migration ability was observed by scratch adhesion test. It was found that after PF-EMF exposure, cell morphology, apoptosis, cell migration ability and cell transformation didn't change. However, compared with sham group, cell viability obviously decreased and cell cycle distribution also changed after 11 weeks PF-EMF exposure. Meanwhile, the protein level of PCNA and CyclinD1 significantly decreased after PF-EMF exposure. These data suggested that although long-term 50Hz PF-EMF exposure under this experimental condition had no effects on apoptosis, cell migration ability and cell transformation, it could affect cell proliferation and cell cycle by down-regulation the expression of PCNA and CyclinD1 protein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / radiation effects
  • BALB 3T3 Cells
  • Cell Cycle / radiation effects
  • Cell Movement / radiation effects
  • Cell Proliferation / radiation effects
  • Cell Survival / radiation effects
  • Electric Power Supplies*
  • Electromagnetic Fields / adverse effects*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / radiation effects
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Rats
  • Time Factors

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31170798) and National Basic Research Program of China (2011CB503705, 2011CB503704). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.