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The effect of exposure to high flux density static and pulsed magnetic fields on lymphocyte function
Author(s) -
Aldinucci Carlo,
Garcia Julian Blanco,
Palmi Mitri,
Sgaragli Gianpietro,
Benocci Alberto,
Meini Antonella,
Pessina Federica,
Rossi Claudio,
Bonechi Claudia,
Pessina Gian Paolo
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.10111
Subject(s) - jurkat cells , phytohaemagglutinin , proinflammatory cytokine , tumor necrosis factor alpha , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , lymphocyte , interleukin , interleukin 2 , immunology , biophysics , cytokine , medicine , t cell , biology , inflammation , immune system
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 μg/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 γ, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin‐1β, 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. Bioelectromagnetics 24:373–379, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.