Effect of Static Magnetic Fields on Proliferation and Apoptosis of Gallbladder Cancer Cells: An in vitro and in vivo study

Abstract

Objectives: The knowledge on how static magnetic fields (SMF) of magnetic implants affect living cells and tissues is limited while these magnetic devices are more and more frequently adopted in certain surgical approaches. Methods: In this study, we exposed cultures of human gallbladder cancer cells to SMF continuously for up to 7 days, trying to simulate the exposure pattern of surgical magnetic implants, and implanted magnetic devices into tumor-bearing nude mice for 1 month, then evaluated the effect on proliferation and apoptosis of cancer cells and tissues. Results: It showed that after SMF exposure, whereas in vitro study showed decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis of the gallbladder cancer cells, in vivo study showed no significant differences both on proliferation and on apoptosis. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that with current magnetic biliary anastomosis devices, the SMF from magnetic implants shows little effects on proliferative and apoptotic activities of gallbladder cancer cells in vivo, while there are still possibilities that long-term continuous SMF exposure from surgical magnetic implants may interact with living cells, probably in a feeble manner.