Static magnetic fields affect cell size, shape, orientation, and membrane surface of human glioblastoma cells, as demonstrated by electron, optic, and atomic force microscopy.
BACKGROUND
It is common knowledge that static magnetic fields (SMF) do not interact with living cells; thus, fewer studies of SMF compared with variable magnetic fields are carried out. However, evidence demonstrated that SMF affect cellular structures. To investigate the effect of exposure to increasing doses of SMF on cell morphology, human glioblastoma cells were exposed to SMF ranging between 80 and 3,000 G (8 and 300 mT).


METHODS
Cell morphology of human glioblastoma cells, derived from a primary culture, was studied by electron and optic microscopy. FITC-phalloidin staining of actin filaments was also investigated. Finally, cell surface structure changes were detected by atomic force microscopy.


RESULTS
Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated a dose-dependent cell shape modification, progressive cell detachment, loss of the long villi, and appearance of membrane roughness and blebs. FITC-phalloidin staining confirmed the villi retention and cell dimension decrease. At 3,000 G, the appearance of apoptotic morphology was also observed by transmission electron microscopy. Cell exposed to SMF showed different orientation and alignment when compared with nonexposed cells. The atomic force microscopy of the exposed cells' membrane surfaces demonstrated the disappearance of the ordered surface ripples and furrows typical of the unexposed cells, and the occurrence of surface membrane corrugation at increasing dose exposure


CONCLUSIONS
Our experimental procedures demonstrated that exposure to SMF affects not only cell size, shape, and orientation but also human glioblastoma cells' membrane surfaces.
Teodori
Laura
L
Unità di Biotecnologie, Sezione di Tossicologia e Scienze Biomediche, ENEA Centro ricerche Casaccia, Via Anguillarese 301, 00060 Rome, Italy. teodori@casaccia.enea.it
Albertini
Maria C
MC
Uguccioni
Francesco
F
Falcieri
Elisabetta
E
Rocchi
Marco B L
MB
Battistelli
Michela
M
Coluzza
Carlo
C
Piantanida
Giovanna
G
Bergamaschi
Antonio
A
Magrini
Andrea
A
Mucciato
Raffaele
R
Accorsi
Augusto
A
D017209:Apoptosis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016764:Cell Polarity; D048430:Cell Shape; D048429:Cell Size; D022081:Cell Surface Extensions / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D008853:Microscopy; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D013499:Surface Properties