Electric and magnetic fields and tumor progression. Final report
- Rochester Univ., NY (United States). Dept. of Radiation Oncology
This laboratory study has rigorously investigated two previously reported biological effects of 60-Hz electric and magnetic fields. The first effect involves nighttime suppression of melatonin synthesis in the pineal glands of rats exposed to high electric fields. The second concerns the increase in colony forming ability of human colon cancer cells exposed to 1.4-G magnetic fields. Neither effect was detected in the present study. A series of published laboratory studies on rats reported that 60-Hz electric fields at various field levels up to 130 kV/m suppress the nighttime synthesis of melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland. Since melatonin is known to modulate the immune system and may inhibit cancer cell activity, changes in physiological levels of melatonin may have significant health consequences. In the repeat experiments, field exposure did not alter nighttime levels of melatonin or enzyme activities in the pineal gland. A small but statistically significant reduction of about 20% in serum melatonin was seen in exposed animals. Pineal melatonin was also unaffected by the presence of red light as a cofactor with field exposure or by time-shifting the daily field exposure period. Another study reported that 60-Hz magnetic fields can affect the colony forming ability of human cancer cells after exposure in a culture medium. In the repeat experiments, field exposure did not alter the colony forming ability of human Colo 205 cells in two different cell concentrations at plating or in two different incubation conditions. Field exposure also did not affect cell cycling in any of the four cell lines tested.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst. (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA (United States); Rochester Univ., NY (United States). Dept. of Radiation Oncology
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 33153
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR-104799
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Dec 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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