Biological effects of PEMF (pulsing electromagnetic field): an attempt to modify cell resistance to anticancer agents.

ABSTRACT

Pulsing Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) effects lead to a modification of the multidrug resistance (MDR) of cells in vitro and in vivo. The murine leukemic doxorubicin-resistant cell line, P388/Dx, subjected to PEMF irradiation in vitro, showed a significant difference in thymidine incorporation when the concentration of doxorubicin reached a level of 1 microgram/mL, which corresponds to the inhibition dose 50 (ID50). The human lymphoblastic leukemia vinblastine-resistant cell line, CEM/VLB100, also showed a significant modification under the same experimental conditions at the in vitro ID50 corresponding to a vinblastine concentration of 100 ng/mL. BDF1 mice transplanted with P388/Dx cells also had an increase in their life span when doxorubicin was injected intraperitoneally in fractionated doses, while being subjected to PEMF irradiation.