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No effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields on PC12 and HL-60 cells

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Abstract

The effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) similar to those used in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on two tumour cell lines, the human promyelocytic leukaemia cell line (HL-60) and the rat pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12), was investigated. The two cell lines were exposed to non-homogeneous pulsed electromagnetic fields (about 0.25–4.5 T peak magnetic field strength; 1–8 exponential pulses, 0.25 Hz) at different positions on the coil (2×25 mm). After exposure with various intensities, various numbers of pulses and at different coil positions, cell viability and the intracellular cyclic AMP content were determined in the two cell lines. Additionally, in HL-60 cells the intracellular Hsp72 content and in PC12 cells the release of the neurotransmitters dopamine, noradrenaline and acetylcholine were measured after PEMF treatment. The results of these analyses do not hint at alterations in the cell viability or in the content of cAMP, Hsp72, dopamine, noradrenaline, and acetylcholine in the two tumour cell lines after PEMF exposure under various conditions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Ms Gisela Kampmann and Mechthild Herschbach for their patient and skilful technical assistance. Furthermore, we thank Dr. K.F. Weibezahn for critically reviewing the manuscript.

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  1. Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut für Biologische Grenzflächen, Postfach 3640, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany

    W. Sontag & D. Kalka

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  1. W. Sontag
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  2. D. Kalka
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Correspondence to W. Sontag.

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Sontag, W., Kalka, D. No effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields on PC12 and HL-60 cells. Radiat Environ Biophys 45, 63–71 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-006-0043-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-006-0043-6

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