Abstract

This research will investigate the proposed link between exposure of cells to extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic (EM) fields and malignancy. We will determine if characteristics of neoplastic transformation and/or immortalization occur in human cells exposed to characterized ELF EM fields at 60 Hz.
Aim 1. To determine if the expression of cellular proto-oncogenes is altered in human cells exposed to ELF EM fields by measurement of levels of mRNA transcripts and resulting proteins. Short exposures to defined ELF EM fields will be used initially; further experiments will determine how the time course or other parameters of exposure affect mRNA levels.
Aim 2. To determine if cell divisional rates are changed by EM field exposure.
Aim 3. To investigate the role of signal transduction in cell response to ELF EM fields; can a relation with signal transduction be made. as predicted on the basis of previous studies? Our major aim is to obtain adequate background information to ultimately allow us to experimentally test whether ELF EM field exposure can play a role in initiating, or augmenting neoplastic disease. The ramifications of this research, however, have bearing on the general safety of exposure to EM fields in industrial and everyday life.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01ES005735-04
Application #
2154601
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (SSS (B2))
Project Start
1991-05-21
Project End
1996-04-30
Budget Start
1994-05-01
Budget End
1995-04-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Hunter College
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10065

  Publications

Rao, S; Henderson, A S (1996) Regulation of c-fos is affected by electromagnetic fields. J Cell Biochem 63:358-65
Gold, S; Goodman, R; Shirley-Henderson, A (1994) Exposure of simian virus-40-transformed human cells to magnetic fields results in increased levels of T-antigen mRNA and protein. Bioelectromagnetics 15:329-36
Lin, H; Goodman, R; Shirley-Henderson, A (1994) Specific region of the c-myc promoter is responsive to electric and magnetic fields. J Cell Biochem 54:281-8
McDowell, K A; Hadjiargyrou, M; Patsalis, P et al. (1994) Transcription of rDNA is essential for satellite association. Cytogenet Cell Genet 66:63-7
Karabakhtsian, R; Broude, N; Shalts, N et al. (1994) Calcium is necessary in the cell response to EM fields. FEBS Lett 349:1-6
Hubbard-Smith, K; Patsalis, P; Pardinas, J R et al. (1992) Altered chromosome 6 in immortal human fibroblasts. Mol Cell Biol 12:2273-81