PriMera Scientific Medicine and Public Health (ISSN: 2833-5627)

Case Study

Volume 7 Issue 4

Impact of Magnetic Fields on the Proteome of Human Cells: A Pilot and Feasibility Study

Inês Santos Silva*, Michael Hollmann, Mia Potocnjak, Moritz Voelker-Albert, Ingrid Nolting, Luísa Soares and Frank Schifferdecker-Hoch

October 04, 2025

DOI : 10.56831/PSMPH-07-242

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Abstract

Background: Magnetic field therapies have gained attention for their non-invasive potential to modulate biological processes, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood, particularly at the proteomic level.

Objective: This pilot study aimed to assess whether short-term exposure to low-frequency magnetic fields affects the proteomic profile of human buccal cells and to evaluate the methodological viability of using buccal cell proteomics as a monitoring tool.

Methods: Nine participants were assigned to either a control group (n=3) or an intervention group (n=6) exposed to the Vitori mat (7.83 Hz Schumann frequency) for five consecutive days. Buccal cell samples were collected pre- and post-intervention, with a follow-up sample collected three days later in the intervention group. Samples were analyzed via LC-MS/MS using a data-independent acquisition (DIA) workflow and processed with DIA-NN [1]. Statistical comparisons employed Wilcoxon rank-sum and Friedman tests.

Results: A total of 108 protein groups differed significantly between groups after exposure (p<0.05), while 67 proteins showed significant temporal changes within the intervention group. Thirteen proteins were identified across both comparisons, implicating biological pathways related to immune regulation, cell proliferation, and stress response. Principal component analysis indicated partial reversibility of proteomic shifts following a short washout phase.

Conclusions: The study confirms both the biological responsiveness of buccal cells to magnetic field exposure and the feasibility of integrating non-invasive sampling with high-resolution proteomic analysis. These findings support future investigations into the molecular mechanisms of magnetic field therapies and the development of minimally invasive monitoring tools.

Keywords: Magnetic field exposure; Proteomics; Electromagnetic fields; Buccal cells; Non-invasive biomarker; Schumann frequency; Immune response

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