Effect of Extremely Low–frequency Electromagnetic Field on Apoptosis Induction and Expression of Estrogen Receptor, Progesterone Receptor, and ERBB2 in BT-474 Cells

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the first cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. Although admirable achievements have been made in finding new therapeutic interventions, introducing efficient approaches with the least side effect is still undoubtedly demanded. Exposure to extremely-low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) with specific parameters of frequency, intensity, and duration seems to show promising results in cancer treatments. In this study we investigated the possible anti-cancer role of ELF-EMF in BT-474 breast cancer cells.

The BT474 breast cancer cell lines and normal MCF10A cells were exposed to sinusoidal ELF-EMF (100mT, 1Hz) for 2h/d for 5 days. The survival and apoptosis rates of these cells were measured using trypan blue and flow cytometry, respectively. Also, to measure the mRNA expression level of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and ERBB2 (HER2) genes, we used real-time PCR.

ELF-EMF induced apoptosis in about 69% of BT474 (p˂0.05) but not in the MCF10A cells. Also, the gene expression analysis revealed a decrease in ERBB2 and PR expression and an increase in ER expression levels in the experimental group compared with the control group in BT-474 cells.

Exposure to an ELF-EMF of 100 mT, 1 Hz, for 5 days, 2 h/d, can induce significant apoptosis in BT474 cells. Furthermore, it can affect important genes related to breast cancer (decreasing ERBB2 and PR and increasing ER expression), which may be beneficial as possible adjuvant therapy.