Effects of 0.2 T static magnetic field on human skin fibroblasts

Human skin fibroblasts were exposed to 0.2 T static magnetic field generated by a magnetic resonance tomograph. After 1h exposure, cell morphology was modified in association with a concomitant decrease in the expression of some sugar residues of glycoconjugates. Study of cell proliferation and mitogenic signal transduction showed a decrease of thymidine incorporation and of second messenger formation. However, cell viability, assessed by colony forming assay, was unaffected. These results demonstrate that the static magnetic field generated by routinely used magnetic resonance tomograph induces alterations on human skin fibroblasts.