title: The effect of strong static magnetic field on lymphocytes.
abstract: We investigated whether static electromagnetic fields (EMFs) at a flux density of 4.75 T, generated by an NMR apparatus (NMRF), could promote movements of Ca2+, cell proliferation, and the eventual production of proinflammatory cytokines in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as well as in Jurkat cells, after exposure to the field for 1 h. The same study was also performed after activation of cells with 5 mg/ml phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Our results clearly demonstrate that static NMRF exposure has neither proliferative, nor activating, nor proinflammatory effects on both normal and PHA activated PBMC. Moreover, the concentration of interleukin-1beta, interleukin-2, interleukin-6, interferon, and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) remained unvaried in exposed cells. Exposure of Jurkat cells statistically decreased the proliferation and the proliferation indexes, which 24 and 48 h after exposure were 0.7 +/- 0.29 and 0.87 +/- 0.12, respectively. Moreover, in Jurkat cells the [Ca2+]i was higher than in PBMC and was reduced significantly to about one half after exposure. This is consistent with the decrease of proliferation and with the low levels of IL-2 measured. On the whole, our data suggest that NMRF exposure failed to affect the physiologic behaviour of normal lymphomonocytes. Instead in Jurkat cells, by changing the properties of cell membranes, NMRF can influence Ca2+ transport processes, and hence Ca2+ homeostasis with improvement of proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aldinucci
authors.forename: Julian Blanco
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Mitri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palmi
authors.forename: Gianpietro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sgaragli
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benocci
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meini
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pessina
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonechi
authors.forename: Gian Paolo
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Pessina
mesh_terms: D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D002110:Caffeine; D002118:Calcium