EFFECT OF 50 HZ SINUSOIDAL ELECTRIC AND OR MAGNETIC-FIELDS ON THE RATE OF REPAIR OF DNA SINGLE-STRAND BREAKS IN CULTURED-MAMMALIAN-CELLS EXPOSED TO 3 DIFFERENT CARCINOGENS - METHYLMETHANE SULFONATE, CHROMATE AND 254 NM UV-RADIATION/

Treatment of cultured mammalian cells with three different carcinogens , namely methylmethane sulphonate (MMS), chromate and 254 U.V. radiati on, produces DNA single strand breaks (SSB) in cultured mammalian cell s. The rate of removal of these lesions is not affected by exposure to 50 Hz electric (0.2 - 20 kV/m), magnetic (0.0002 - 0.2 mT), or combin ed electric and magnetic fields. These results indicate that, under th e experimental conditions utilized in this study, 50 Hz electric, magn etic and electromagnetic fields (over a wide range of intensities) do not affect the machinery involved in the repair of DNA SSBs generated by different carcinogens in three different cultured mammalian cell li nes, making it unlikely that field exposure enhances the ability of th ese carcinogens to induce transformation via inhibition of DNA repair.