Electromagnetic fields stress living cells

Abstract

Electromagnetic fields (EMF), in both ELF (extremely low frequency) and radio frequency (RF) ranges, activate the cellular stress response, a protective mechanism that induces the expression of stress response genes, e.g., HSP70, and increased levels of stress proteins, e.g., hsp70. The 20 different stress protein families are evolutionarily conserved and act as 'chaperones' in the cell when they 'help' repair and refold damaged proteins and transport them across cell membranes. Induction of the stress response involves activation of DNA, and despite the large difference in energy between ELF and RF, the same cellular pathways respond in both frequency ranges. Specific DNA sequences on the promoter of the HSP70 stress gene are responsive to EMF, and studies with model biochemical systems suggest that EMF could interact directly with electrons in DNA. While low energy EMF interacts with DNA to induce the stress response, increasing EMF energy in the RF range can lead to breaks in DNA strands. It is clear that in order to protect living cells, EMF safety limits must be changed from the current thermal standard, based on energy, to one based on biological responses that occur long before the threshold for thermal changes. © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.Keywords: DNA; Biosynthesis; Electromagnetic fields; ELF; RF Electromagnetic fields (EMF) alter protein synthesisUntil recently, genetic information stored in DNA was considered essentially invulnerable to change as it was passed on from parent to progeny. Mutations, such as those caused by cosmic radiation at the most energetic end of the EM spectrum, were thought to be relatively infrequent. The model of gene regulation was believed to be that the negatively charged DNA was tightly wrapped up in the nucleus with positively charged histones, and that most genes were 'turned off' most of the time. Of course, different regions of the DNA code are being read more or less all the time to replenish essential Abbreviations: EMF, electromagnetic fields; Hz, hertz; ELF, extremely low frequency; RF, radio frequency; MAPK, mitogen activated protein kinase; ERK1\2, extracellular signal regulated kinase; JNK, c-Jun-terminal kinase p38MAPK; SAPK, stress activated protein kinase; NADH, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase; ROS, reactive oxygen species.* Corresponding author at: Department of Physiology, Columbia Univer- proteins that have broken down and those needed during cell division. New insights into the structure and function of DNA have resulted from numerous, well-done laboratory studies. The demonstration that EMF induces gene expression and the synthesis of specific proteins [1,2] generated considerable controversy from power companies, government agencies, physicists, and most recently, cell phone companies. Physicists have insisted that the reported results were not possible because there was not enough energy in the power frequency range (ELF) to activate DNA. They were thinking solely of mechanical interaction with a large molec...

Current Understanding of the Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields

“…Once activated, the stress response induces the expression of stress response genes, such as heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), leading to an increased level of stress proteins. 4 The stress proteins act as chaperones by helping repair and refold damaged proteins and transport them across cell membranes. To induce this stress response, DNA must be activated, and despite the large energy differences between ELF and RF, they activate the same cellular pathways.…”

“…Specific DNA sequences on the promoter of the HSP70 stress gene are responsive to EMF, and it has been suggested that EMFs could also interact directly with electrons in DNA. 4 However, EMFs with energy in the RF range can lead to breaks in the DNA strand. 4 Thus, any extensive damage or changes to DNA that need repair may increase the risk of developing cancerous cells.…”

“…4 However, EMFs with energy in the RF range can lead to breaks in the DNA strand. 4 Thus, any extensive damage or changes to DNA that need repair may increase the risk of developing cancerous cells.…”

Extremely low frequency magnetic fields induce oxidative stress in rat brain

“…Since melatonin is an antioxidant and its decrease is concomitant with accumulation of free radicals (PandiPerumal et al 2013), oxidative stress increases when exposed to EMF, hence supplementation of antioxidants were recommended under these conditions (Zwirska-Korczala et al 2004;Sokolovic et al 2008;El-Helaly and Abu-Hashem 2010;Kerman and Senol 2012). Interestingly, the EMF was not only reported to increase the life span of free radicals (Kabuto et al 2001;Stevens 2004), but was also involved in weakening the antioxidant defense mechanism (Lee et al 2004;Falone et al 2008), leading to increased oxidative stress condition (Blank and Goodman 2009;Martinez-Samano et al 2012). Several earlier studies have suggested that short and long-term exposure to 40-60 Hz ELF magnetic fields (MF) induce oxidative stress on various regions of the rodent's brain such as, cerebellum, hippocampus and striatum (Fu.…”

Harms Associated with cellular Towers (CDMA Vs GSM)

“…The Non-thermal effect due to normal cellular use causes temperature increment and hence metabolic cell stress but is compensated by thermo receptor molecules containing stress proteins in cells to protect from heat shock [7] . As the stress proteins occurs for both ELF and RF, having different energy levels [8] are unaffected by thermal effects. It has various symptoms like burning sensations in the skin of the head, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, disturbances to sleep and digestive systems, loss of mental attention to react and memory retentiveness [9] .…”