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Effects of a static magnetic field on haemoglobin structure and function
M M Atef1, M S Abd el-Baset, A el-Kareem
1Biochemistry Department, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|April 1, 1995
Summary
Static magnetic fields alter hemoglobin conformation and reduce its auto-oxidation rate. These findings reveal magnetic field effects on hemoglobin function, impacting its stability and kinetics.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Hematology
Background:
- Hemoglobin (Hb) is crucial for oxygen transport.
- Understanding Hb's response to external stimuli like magnetic fields is important.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of static magnetic fields (MFs) on hemoglobin function.
- To analyze changes in Hb conformation, stability, auto-oxidation, and viscosity.
Main Methods:
- Exposure of mice to static magnetic fields (1000-4000 G) for 10 minutes.
- Utilized a multi-component spectrophotometric method to quantify Hb fractions and derivatives.
- Analyzed changes in intermolecular interactions and auto-oxidation kinetics.
Main Results:
- High-strength MFs (3500-4000 G) induced conformational changes in Hb, altering intermolecular interactions but not intrinsic viscosity.
- No significant changes in Hb molecular dimensions or shape were observed.
- Static MFs decreased oxyhemoglobin auto-oxidation rates by 2-5.9% (1000-2500 G) and 10-17% (3500-4000 G).
Conclusions:
- Static magnetic fields directly influence hemoglobin conformation and intermolecular interactions.
- Magnetic field exposure reduces the auto-oxidation rate of oxyhemoglobin.
- These findings highlight the impact of magnetic fields on hemoglobin's biochemical properties.