Bioelectromagnetics 19:429 – 431 (1998) Effect of Sinusoidal 50 Hz Magnetic Field on the Testosterone Production of Mouse Primary Leydig Cell Culture Zsolt Forga ´ cs, 1 * Gyo ¨ rgy Thuro ´ czy, 2 Katalin Paksy, 1 and La ´ szlo ´ D. Szabo ´ 2 1 National Institute of Occupational Health, Department of Reproductive Toxicology, Budapest, Hungary 2 National ‘‘Frederic Joliot-Curie’’ Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, Department of Non-Ionizing Radiation, Budapest, Hungary This study evaluated the effect of sinusoidal 50 Hz magnetic field on the basal and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-stimulated testosterone (T) production of 48-h mouse Leydig cell culture. The luteinizing hormone (LH) analog hCG was used to check the T response of the controls and to evaluate the possible effect of the applied magnetic field on the steroidogenic capacity of the exposed cells. Leydig cells were obtained from the testes of 35- to 45-g CFLP mice and isolated by mechanical dissociation without enzyme treatment. The cell cultures were exposed to sinusoidal 50 Hz 100 mT (root mean square) AC magnetic field during the entire time of a 48-h incubation. Testosterone content of the culture media was measured by radioimmunoassay. In cultures exposed to the magnetic field, a marked increase of basal T production was found (P õ .05), compared with the unexposed controls, whereas no significant difference was seen between the exposed or unexposed cultures in the presence of maximally stimulating concentration of hCG. These findings demonstrate that sinusoidal 50 Hz 100 mT magnetic fields are able to stimulate the basal T production of primary mouse Leydig cell culture, leaving the steroidogenic responsiveness to hCG unaltered. Bioelectromagnetics 19:429 – 431, 1998.  1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Key words: ELF; magnetic fields; testosterone; Leydig cell; in vitro INTRODUCTION This study evaluated the possible effect of a sinu- soidal 50 Hz magnetic field on the basal and hCG- Although a growing number of studies have been stimulated testosterone (T) production of a 48-h pri- performed to assess the biological effects of extremely mary mouse Leydig cell culture. The luteinizing hor- low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields in mammals, data mone (LH) analog hCG was used to check the T re- on their possible action on the male reproductive sys- sponse of controls and also to evaluate the possible tem are limited. Margonato et al. [1995] did not find effect of the applied magnetic field on the steroidogenic any magnetic-field-induced morphologic and histologic capacity of the exposed cells. changes in the testes of rats after prolonged exposure to a 50 Hz magnetic field of 5 mT. Kato et al. [1994] MATERIALS AND METHODS reported that 6 weeks of nearly continuous exposure to circularly polarized 50 Hz magnetic fields did not CFLP mice (LATI, Go F do F llo  , Hungary), each change plasma testosterone levels in rats. De Vita et weighing 35 to 45 g, were kept in a room with a 12:12 al. [1995] observed a statistically significant decrease in elongated spermatids obtained from rats 28 days after exposure to 50 Hz, 1.7 mT sinusoidal magnetic Contract grant sponsor: Research Fund of the Ministry of Welfare in Hungary; Contract grant number: ETT 240/1996. fields for 4 h. The authors suggested a possible cyto- toxic and/or cytostatic effect of the applied magnetic *Correspondence to: Dr. Zsolt Forga ´cs, National Institute of Occupa- field on differentiating spermatogonia. To our knowl- tional Health, Department of Reproductive Toxicology, PO Box 22, Budapest, H-1450, Hungary. E-mail: dr.forgacs@usa.net edge, there are no relevant in vitro data available con- cerning the possible direct action of ELF magnetic Received for review 2 September 1997; final revision received 20 Janu- ary 1998 fields on Leydig cell functions.  1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc. 851a 68297 / 851A$$8297 08-17-98 11:37:41 bema W: BEM