PROLIFERATIVE AND METASTATIC ACTIVITIES OF MOUSE-TUMOR CELLS EXPOSED TO A STRONG STATIC MAGNETIC-FIELD

Mouse EL-4 T-lymphoma cells and B16 melanoma cells were incubated in a static magnetic field at 6.34 tesla (T) in NMR sample tubes for vario us time intervals at 37 degrees C. After being exposed to the magnetic field, the tumor cells were tested for proliferative and metastatic a ctivities. The exposed EL-4 cells and B16 cells proliferated more rapi dly than the sham-exposed corresponding control tumor cells, Intraveno us injection of the exposed B16 cells into C57BL/6-beige/beige mice, p roduced a significantly larger number of pulmonary metastatic nodules than injection of the sham-exposed B16 cells. These findings suggest t hat strong static magnetic fields augment the cell proliferative activ ity and may promote the metastasis of tumor cells under certain condit ions.