title: The effect of exposure to high flux density static and pulsed magnetic fields on lymphocyte function.
abstract: We investigated whether a combination of static electromagnetic field (EMF) at a flux density of 4.75 T together with pulsed EMF at a flux density of 0.7 mT generated by an NMR apparatus (NMRF), could promote movements of Ca(2+), cell proliferation, and the eventual production of proinflammatory cytokines in human lymphocytes 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 micro g/ml phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) immediately before the exposure period. Our results clearly demonstrate that NMRF exposure increases the [Ca(2+)](i), without any proliferative, or activating, or proinflammatory effect on both normal and PHA stimulated lymphocytes. Accordingly, the levels of interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-2, and interleukin-6 remained unvaried after exposure. Exposure of Jurkat cells statistically decreased the [Ca(2+)](i) and the proliferation. This is consistent with the low levels of IL-2 measured in supernatants of these cells after exposure. On the whole our data suggest that static and pulsed NMRF exposure contribute synergistically in the increase of the [Ca(2+)](i) without any activating or proinflammatory effect either in normal or in PHA challenged lymphocytes. In Jurkat cells, by changing the properties of cell membranes, NMRF exposure can influence Ca(2+) transport processes and hence Ca(2+) homeostasis, causing a marked decrease 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: D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011829:Radiation Dosage
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D002118:Calcium