Spin biochemistry modulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by radio frequency magnetic fields

PLoS One. 2014 Mar 28;9(3):e93065. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093065. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The effects of weak magnetic fields on the biological production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from intracellular superoxide (O2•-) and extracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were investigated in vitro with rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (rPASMC). A decrease in O2•- and an increase in H2O2 concentrations were observed in the presence of a 7 MHz radio frequency (RF) at 10 μTRMS and static 45 μT magnetic fields. We propose that O2•- and H2O2 production in some metabolic processes occur through singlet-triplet modulation of semiquinone flavin (FADH•) enzymes and O2•- spin-correlated radical pairs. Spin-radical pair products are modulated by the 7 MHz RF magnetic fields that presumably decouple flavin hyperfine interactions during spin coherence. RF flavin hyperfine decoupling results in an increase of H2O2 singlet state products, which creates cellular oxidative stress and acts as a secondary messenger that affects cellular proliferation. This study demonstrates the interplay between O2•- and H2O2 production when influenced by RF magnetic fields and underscores the subtle effects of low-frequency magnetic fields on oxidative metabolism, ROS signaling, and cellular growth.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy / methods
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / metabolism*
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / physiology
  • Pulmonary Artery / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Superoxides / metabolism*

Substances

  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Superoxides
  • Hydrogen Peroxide

Grants and funding

This work was partially supported by the United States government but is not protected by US copyright. No additional external funding was received for this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.