Suppression of T-lymphocyte cytotoxicity following exposure to 60-Hz sinusoidal electric fields.

A significant 25% inhibition (P less than .005) of allogeneic cytotoxicity of the target cell MPC-11 by the murine cytotoxic T-lymphocyte line CTLL-1 was observed when the 4-h cytotoxicity assay was conducted immediately following a 48-h pre-exposure of the effector lymphocytes to a 10-mV/cm (rms) 60-Hz sinusoidal electric field. At 1.0 mV/cm a significant 19% inhibition (P less than .0005) was seen. At 0.1 mV/cm a nonsignificant 7% inhibition of cytotoxicity was noted. When the 4-h cytotoxicity assay was conducted in the presence of the field using previously unexposed effector lymphocytes, cytotoxicity was not significantly reduced. Cell proliferation in the presence of interleukin-2 was unaffected by the field. These data suggest a dose response and threshold (between 0.1 and 1.0 mV/cm) for inhibition of cytotoxicity in clonal T-lymphocytes by exposure to a 60-Hz sinusoidal electric field. These results suggest mechanisms by which 60-Hz electric fields could affect the function of cells of the immune system.