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2015
Journal Article
Titel
Influence of ELF-MF on the juvenile immune system of CD-1 mice
Titel Supplements
Abstract
Abstract
In the context of the association between childhood leukemia and extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) exposure, the European project ARIMMORA aims to gain mechanistic insights on the impact of ELF-MF exposure in in vitro and in vivo models. In our studies the biological effects of ELF-MF exposure especially on changes in the juvenile immune system in Crl:CD1(ICR) mice were investigated. The mice were exposed (20 h/d, 7 d/wk) to continuous linear polarized sine-shaped 50 Hz electromagnetic fields of 10 mT, 1 mT, and 10 mT, starting with pregnant dams on day 10 p.c. and continuing to F1 offspring up to 90 days of age. At different time points, samples of spleen and peripheral blood were taken to evaluate potential changes in the number and activation status of T-cell, B-cell, and monocyte/macrophage compartments ex vivo by means of flow cytometry and measurement of cytokine secretion by ELISA. On day 28, a reduced number of CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes was seen in peripheral blood at all exposure levels compared to sham treatment. No alterations of this cell compartment were observed in spleen of all treatment groups. The effect was moderate but significant. Whether the observed reduction of T-lymphocytes has a functional effect cannot be definitively concluded from these studies. In addition, none of the tested doses of the ELF-MF signal mediated a significant induction of micronuclei in the peripheral blood erythrocyte fraction. The absence of an effect speaks against a profound direct DNA-damaging potential of ELF-MF exposure. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no. 282891.