Cellular disorders induced by high magnetic fields.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether static high magnetic fields (HMFs), in the range of 10-17 T, affect the cytoskeleton and cell organization in different types of mammalian cells, including fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and differentiating neurons.


METHODS
Cells were exposed to HMF for 30 or 60 minutes and subsequently assessed for viability. Cytoskeleton arrays and focal adhesions were visualized using immunofluorescence microscopy.


RESULTS
Cell exposure to HMF over 10 T in the case of cycling cells, and over 15 T in the case of neurons, affected cell viability, apparently because of cell detachment from culture dishes. In the remaining adherent cells, the organization of actin assemblies was perturbed, and both cell adhesion and spreading were impaired. Moreover, in the case of neurons, exposure to HMF induced growth cone retraction and delayed cell differentiation.


CONCLUSIONS
Cell exposure to HMF (over 10T and 15 T in the case of cycling cells and neurons, respectively) affects the cell cytoskeleton, with deleterious effects on cell viability, organization, and differentiation. Further studies are needed to determine whether such perturbations, as observed here in cultured cells, have consequences in whole animals.
Valiron
Odile
O
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 366, Grenoble, France. ovaliron@cea.fr
Peris
Leticia
L
Rikken
Geert
G
Schweitzer
Annie
A
Saoudi
Yasmina
Y
Remy
Chantal
C
Job
Didier
D
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D014162:Transfection