Minireview: Animal studies on the role of 50/60-Hertz magnetic fields in carcinogenesis

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · Life Sciences; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(94)90024-8· OSTI ID:6954820

Loescher, W; Mevissen, M ^[1]

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1. School of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover (Germany)

A number of epidemiological studies have suggested that exposure to 50/60-Hz magnetic fields (MF) from power lines and electrical equipment may be associated with a modestly increased incidence of various type of cancer. Laboratory studies have indicated that nonionizing radiation has no mutagenic effect, i.e. does not initiate cancer. Thus, if 50/60-Hz MF are truly associated with an increased risk of cancer, then these fields must act as a promoter or co-promoter of cancer in cells that have already been initiated. This paper reviews the evidence produced by animal studies. As shown in this review, the available animal data on 50/60-Hz MF exposures seem to indicate that intermediate MF exposure exerts co-promoting effects in different tumor models, particularly cocarcinogenesis models of breast cancer while chronic (up to life-time) exposure may exert promoting effects on [open quotes]spontaneous[close quotes] development of certain tumors. The tumor promoting or co-promoting effects of 50/60-Hz MF exposure found in several animal studies could relate to actions of MF on gene expression, immune surveillance, and Ca[sup 2+] homeostasis as demonstrated by in vitro experiments in cell cultures. However, the most plausible evidence of an in vivo effect of MF exposure which could be related to tumor promotion is reduction of circulating levels of melatonin, i.e. a hormone which is inhibitory to the growth of a wide range of cancers, particularly breast cancer. Animal studies have shown that 50-Hz MF exposure at fluxes as low as 0.3-1 [mu]Tesla significantly reduces nocturnal melatonin levels in plasma. While decrease of melatonin levels alone could explain tumor promoting or copromoting effects of MF exposure, recent data indicate that MF exposure also impairs the effects of melatonin at the cellular level. The oncostatic effect of melatonin on proliferation of a human breast cancer cell line was antagonized by 60-Hz MF exposure at a flux density of 1 [mu]Tesla.

• OSTI ID: 6954820
• Journal Information: Life Sciences; (United States), Vol. 54:21; ISSN 0024-3205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
MAGNETIC FIELDS
CARCINOGENESIS
MELATONIN
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
AMINES
AROMATICS
AZAARENES
AZOLES
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INDOLES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOGENESIS
PYRROLES
TRYPTAMINES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology