CALCIUM-UPTAKE BY LEUKEMIC AND NORMAL T-LYMPHOCYTES EXPOSED TO LOW-FREQUENCY MAGNETIC-FIELDS

Calcium-ion uptake by normal and leukemia lymphocytes increased during a 30-min exposure to a 13.6 Hz, sinusoidal magnetic field at 20-mu-T peak. The time-varying field was horizontal and parallel to a 16.5-mu-T component of the ambient static magnetic field. The uptake of Ca-45(2+) increased 102% in a line of murine, cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (C57B1/6-derived CTLL-1), increased 126% in freshly-isolated spleen lymphocytes (C57B1/6 mice), and increased 75% in a line of lymphoma cells (C57B1/6-derived EL4). In contrast, there was no effect when the same field was applied for 30 min immediately before-as opposed to during-incorporation of calcium ions. When spleen lymphocytes were exposed during incubation with Ca-45(2+) to a 60 Hz magnetic field at 20-mu-T peak, a small but statistically significant increase (37%) in uptake of the labeled ions occurred. These results indicate that weak, alternating magnetic fields might affect calcium-dependent functions of normal and leukemic lymphocytes.