Abstract
Aim of this study was to find out if demographic factors (age and body weight) have an impact on the sensitivity of peripheral lymphocytes towards DNA damage caused by extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF), to which humans are exposed worldwide. Cells from three different groups (young normal-weight, young obese, and old normal-weight individuals) were treated with different intensities of ELF-EMF (50 Hz, 50, 200 and 1000 µT) in combination with genotoxic agents, which cause damage to the genetic material via different molecular mechanisms. BPDE (benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide) is a metabolite of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P); 4-nitroquinoline oxide (4NQO) is a UV-mimetic agent; the metal compounds NiCl 2 and CrO 3 induce cross-links and oxidative damage. The cells were treated with radiation in combination with the different chemicals (simultaneous and sequential exposure), subsequently, DNA damage was monitored using single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) experiments. We found no evidence for induction of genetic damage by the radiation in cells from the different groups. However, a decrease of damage was observed in combined experiments with NiCl 2 , and an increase of DNA migration was detected in some experiments with BPDE. These findings indicate that ELF-EMF does not cause DNA damage in lymphocytes regardless of the age and body weight of the donors. Furthermore, our results show that the radiation has an impact on the extent of DNA damage caused by specific environmentally and occupationally relevant exposures and may increase the genotoxic effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.