Mutagenicity and co-mutagenicity of static magnetic fields detected by bacterial mutation assay.
Possible mutagenic and co-mutagenic effects of strong static magnetic fields were estimated using bacterial mutagenicity test. Mutagenic potential of static magnetic fields up to 5T (T:1T=10,000 G) was not detected by the bacterial mutagenicity test using four strains of Salmonella typhimurium (TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537) and Escherichia coli WP2 uvrA either in the pre-incubation method or in the plate incorporation method. In the co-mutagenicity test, E. coli WP2 uvrA cells were treated with various chemical mutagens and were simultaneously exposed to a 2T or a 5T static magnetic field. Mutation rate in the exposed group was significantly higher than that in the non-exposed group when cells were treated with N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG), N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), ethylmethanesulfonate (EMS), 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (4-NQO), 2-amino-3-methyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) or 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) acrylamide (AF-2). The mutagenicity of 2-aminoanthracene (2-AA), 9-aminoacridine (9-AA), N4-aminocytidine and 2-acetoamidofluorene (2-AAF) was not affected by the magnetic field exposure. Possible mechanisms of the co-mutagenicity of magnetic fields are discussed.
Ikehata
M
M
Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Railway Technical Research Institute, 2-8-38, Hikari, Kokubunji City, Tokyo 185-8540, Japan. ikehata@rtri.or.jp
Koana
T
T
Suzuki
Y
Y
Shimizu
H
H
Nakagawa
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D002455:Cell Division; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008280:Magnetics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008769:Methylnitronitrosoguanidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009154:Mutation; D051381:Rats; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000235:genetics
D009153:Mutagens; D008769:Methylnitronitrosoguanidine; C013525:ENNG