Control of oxidative stress in Jurkat cells as a model of leukemia treatment

• Healthy and cancerous cells were subjected to the action of the magnetic nanoparticles and fields. • The new approach of magnetically activated antileukemia therapy was suggested. • Magnetic field enhances cytotoxicity of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles. • Cancerous cells are more affected by combining the action of magnetic nanoparticles and fields. This paper describes proof-of-concept for antileukemia treatment based on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) induction supplemented with magnetic nanoparticles in the presence of moderate-intensity magnetic fields. The T-lymphoblastic leukemia cell line (Jurkat) was chosen as an in vitro model of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The elevated ROS levels were generated by iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles. We found an enhanced cytotoxic effect of magnetic nanoparticles in the presence of a magnetic field on cancerous Jurkat cell line due to induced oxidative stress after cultivation in magnetic fields with an average strength of 0.26–0.36 T and the field spatial gradient up to 100 T/m. At the same conditions of nanoparticles intake, the viability of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (model of healthy cells) was not inhibited. Thus, we demonstrated the feasibility of antileukemia treatment by magnetic nanoparticles controlled by a magnetic field.