LOW-FREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC-FIELDS DO NOT AFFECT CELL-GROWTH, ERYTHROID-DIFFERENTIATION, AND VIRUS PRODUCTION IN VARIANT LINES OF UNTREATED AND DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE-TREATED FRIEND-ERYTHROLEUKEMIA CELLS

We compared the effects of exposing to low-frequency (50 Hz) sinusoida l electromagnetic fields (EMF) (magnetic field amplitude of 200 mu T) four variant Friend erythroleukemia (FL) cell lines with regard to the ir capacity to proliferate, synthesize hemoglobin (Hb), and produce vi rus proteins, before and after treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO ). Our results confirm previous data indicating that: (1) clonal FL ce lls are variable in their growth, differentiation, and viral propertie s; (2) erythroid differentiation and virus production are under separa te control; (3) cell replication is apparently necessary for virus pro duction. When FL cells were exposed to EMF, no significant difference was observed in cell counts, induction of Hb synthesis, or virus produ ction and release, comparing untreated and EMF-treated cell cultures.