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Hyperpolarization of Plasma Membrane of Tumor Cells Sensitive to Antiapoptotic Effects of Magnetic Fields
Author(s) -
NUCCITELLI S.,
CERELLA C.,
CORDISCO S.,
ALBERTINI M.C.,
ACCORSI A.,
DE NICOLA M.,
D'ALESSIO M.,
RADOGNA F.,
MAGRINI A.,
BERGAMASCHI A.,
GHIBELLI L.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1378.024
Subject(s) - hyperpolarization (physics) , depolarization , membrane potential , apoptosis , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , membrane , biophysics , signal transduction , cell membrane , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry , nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Chemical/physical agents able to prevent apoptosis are receiving much attention for their potential health hazard as tumor promoters. Magnetic fields (MFs), which have been shown to increase the occurrence of some tumors, reduce damage‐induced apoptosis by a mechanism involving Ca2 + entry into cells. In order to discover the mechanism of such effect of MFs, we investigated the interference of MFs on cell metabolism and analyzed cell parameters that are involved in apoptotic signaling and regulation of Ca 2+ fluxes. Here we show that different types (static and extremely low‐frequency, ELF pulsating) of MFs of different intensities alter plasma membrane potential. Interestingly, MFs induce plasma membrane hyperpolarization in cells sensitive to the antiapoptotic effect of MFs, whereas cells that are insensitive showed a plasma membrane depolarization. These opposite effects suggest that protection against apoptosis and membrane potential modulation are correlated, plasma membrane hyperpolarization possibly being part of the signal transduction chain determining MFs' antiapoptotic effect.