The effect of electromagnetic field exposure on the formation of DNA lesions.
In an attempt to determine whether electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure might lead to DNA damage, we exposed SnCl2-treated pBR322 plasmids to EMF and analysed the resulting conformational changes using agarose gel electrophoresis. An EMF-dependent potentiation of DNA scission (i.e. the appearance of relaxed plasmids) was observed. In confirmation of this, plasmids pre-exposed to EMF also were less capable of transforming Escherichia coli. The results indicate that EMF, in the presence of a transition metal, is capable of causing DNA damage. These observations support the idea that EMF, probably through secondary generation of reactive oxygen species, can be clastogenic and provide a possible explanation for the observed correlation between EMF exposure and the frequency of certain types of cancers in humans.
Lourencini da Silva
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Departamento de Biofísica e Biometria, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Albano
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F
Lopes dos Santos
L R
LR
Tavares
A D
AD
Felzenszwalb
I
I
D004249:DNA Damage; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010957:Plasmids; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial
D017971:Tin Compounds; C023599:stannous chloride