Experiments showing that electromagnetic fields can be used to treat inflammatory diseases.

Biomedical sciences instrumentation · 2000 · Benefit · Low evidence

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BenefitLow evidencePaper 5348

Study snapshot

PublicationBiomedical sciences instrumentation · 2000

Study typeanimal

Reported directionBenefit

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

While it is well known that electromagnetic fields (EMFs) can induce repair of non-healing bone fractures, EMF therapy remains confined to orthopedic clinics mainly because the biological and physical mechanisms underlying the therapy are unknown. However, it is generally believed that non-invasive, EMF therapy might have a broad, albeit currently unrecognized clinical potential. In support of this view, we report that 0.1 mT, 60 Hz EMFs induce a 20% mean-increase in anti-CD3 binding to T cell receptors (TcRs) of Jurkat cells, a T lymphocyte cell line. Additionally, we show that 60 Hz sinusoidal EMFs and a commercial bone healing EMF modulate signal transduction pathways that regulate lymphocyte proliferation and that are normally triggered by activating the Jurkat TcR. Similar EMF effects are shown in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (hPBLs), exposed to EMFs in culture and in rat PBLs, when donor animals are exposed to a bone healing field (21 days, 4 hr/day). Although we do not yet satisfactorily understand the differences we obtain in cell and animal based experiments, our findings clearly demonstrate that EMFs can regulate lymphocyte proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Since T cells are key modulators of inflammation, the development of EMF based therapeutic devices to regulate their activity can be expected to provide important tools to treat numerous human inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis and arthritis.

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeanimal

Effect directionbenefit

PopulationJurkat T lymphocyte cell line; human peripheral blood lymphocytes (hPBLs) in culture; rat peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from donor animals exposed to a bone healing field

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureELF · Rat donor exposure: 21 days, 4 hr/day; in vitro exposures: duration not stated

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

0.1 mT, 60 Hz EMFs induced a 20% mean increase in anti-CD3 binding to T cell receptors in Jurkat cells. 60 Hz sinusoidal EMFs and a commercial bone-healing EMF modulated signal transduction pathways regulating lymphocyte proliferation, with similar effects reported in human PBLs in culture and in rat PBLs when donor animals were exposed to a bone-healing field (21 days, 4 hr/day).

Outcomes measured

Anti-CD3 binding to T cell receptors (TcRs)
Signal transduction pathway modulation related to lymphocyte proliferation
Lymphocyte proliferation regulation (in vitro and in vivo)

Limitations

Biological and physical mechanisms underlying EMF therapy described as unknown
Authors state they do not satisfactorily understand differences between cell-based and animal-based experiments
Sample size and detailed methods not provided in abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": "therapeutic (bone healing field)",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "Rat donor exposure: 21 days, 4 hr/day; in vitro exposures: duration not stated"
  },
  "population": "Jurkat T lymphocyte cell line; human peripheral blood lymphocytes (hPBLs) in culture; rat peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from donor animals exposed to a bone healing field",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Anti-CD3 binding to T cell receptors (TcRs)",
    "Signal transduction pathway modulation related to lymphocyte proliferation",
    "Lymphocyte proliferation regulation (in vitro and in vivo)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "0.1 mT, 60 Hz EMFs induced a 20% mean increase in anti-CD3 binding to T cell receptors in Jurkat cells. 60 Hz sinusoidal EMFs and a commercial bone-healing EMF modulated signal transduction pathways regulating lymphocyte proliferation, with similar effects reported in human PBLs in culture and in rat PBLs when donor animals were exposed to a bone-healing field (21 days, 4 hr/day).",
  "effect_direction": "benefit",
  "limitations": [
    "Biological and physical mechanisms underlying EMF therapy described as unknown",
    "Authors state they do not satisfactorily understand differences between cell-based and animal-based experiments",
    "Sample size and detailed methods not provided in abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "ELF EMF",
    "60 Hz",
    "0.1 mT",
    "bone healing field",
    "Jurkat cells",
    "T cells",
    "anti-CD3 binding",
    "signal transduction",
    "lymphocyte proliferation",
    "inflammation",
    "psoriasis",
    "arthritis"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "who-icnirp",
      "weight": 0.2,
      "reason": "Study involves ELF EMF bioeffects relevant to broader EMF health evidence discussions."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: Not supplied
PubMed: 10834201

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