Ultra-high static magnetic fields cause immunosuppression through disrupting B-cell peripheral differentiation and negatively regulating BCR signaling

Heng Gu; Yufan Fu; Biao Yu; Li Luo; Danqing Kang; Miaomiao Xie; Yukai Jing; Qiuyue Chen; Xin Zhang; Juan Lai; Fei Guan; Huamei Forsman; Junming Shi; Lu Yang; Jiahui Lei; Xingrong Du; Xin Zhang; Chaohong Liu

doi:10.1002/mco2.379

Ultra-high static magnetic fields cause immunosuppression through disrupting B-cell peripheral differentiation and negatively regulating BCR signaling

MedComm (2020). 2023 Oct 1;4(5):e379. doi: 10.1002/mco2.379. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Authors

Heng Gu¹, Yufan Fu¹, Biao Yu², Li Luo¹, Danqing Kang¹, Miaomiao Xie¹, Yukai Jing¹, Qiuyue Chen¹, Xin Zhang³, Juan Lai³, Fei Guan¹, Huamei Forsman⁴, Junming Shi¹, Lu Yang¹, Jiahui Lei¹, Xingrong Du⁵, Xin Zhang^{2

6}, Chaohong Liu¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathogen Biology School of Basic Medicine Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonostic Infectious Disease Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan China.
² High Magnetic Field Laboratory Hefei Institutes of Physical Science Chinese Academy of Sciences Hefei Anhui China.
³ GeneMind Biosciences Company Limited Shenzhen China.
⁴ Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research Institute of Medicine Sahlgrenska Academy University of Gothenburg Goteborg Sweden.
⁵ Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology Fudan University Shanghai China.
⁶ Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University Hefei Anhui China.

Abstract

To increase the imaging resolution and detection capability, the field strength of static magnetic fields (SMFs) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has significantly increased in the past few decades. However, research on the side effects of high magnetic field is still very inadequate and the effects of SMF above 1 T (Tesla) on B cells have never been reported. Here, we show that 33.0 T ultra-high SMF exposure causes immunosuppression and disrupts B cell differentiation and signaling. 33.0 T SMF treatment resulted in disturbance of B cell peripheral differentiation and antibody secretion and reduced the expression of IgM on B cell membrane, and these might be intensity dependent. In addition, mice exposed to 33.0 T SMF showed inhibition on early activation of B cells, including B cell spreading, B cell receptor clustering and signalosome recruitment, and depression of both positive and negative molecules in the proximal BCR signaling, as well as impaired actin reorganization. Sequencing and gene enrichment analysis showed that SMF stimulation also affects splenic B cells' transcriptome and metabolic pathways. Therefore, in the clinical application of MRI, we should consider the influence of SMF on the immune system and choose the optimal intensity for treatment.