CT2A Cell Viability Modulated by Electromagnetic Fields at Extremely Low Frequency under No Thermal Effects

Abstract

The effects produced by electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on human beings at extremely low frequencies (ELFs) have being investigated in the past years, across in vitro studies, using different cell lines. Nevertheless, the effects produced on cells are not clarified, and the cellular mechanisms and cell-signaling processes involved are still unknown. This situation has resulted in a division among the scientific community about the adequacy of the recommended level of exposure. In this sense, we consider that it is necessary to develop long-term exposure studies and check if the recommended levels of EMFs are under thermal effects. Hence, we exposed CT2A cells to different EMFs at different ELFs at short and long times. Our results showed frequency dependence in CT2A exposed during 24 h to a small EMF of 30 μT equal to those originated by the Earth and frequency dependence after the exposure during seven days to an EMF of 100 µT at different ELFs. Particularly, our results showed a remarkable cell viability decrease of CT2A cells exposed to EMFs of 30 Hz. Nevertheless, after analyzing the thermal effects in terms of HSP90 expression, we did not find thermal damages related to the differences in cell viability, so other crucial cellular mechanism should be involved.