Effect of controlled electromagnetic radiation on the growth of cells in tissue culture

Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields do not alter the cell cycle progression of C3H 10T and U87MG cells

The effects of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMFs) on cell cycle progression of mouse fibroblasts C3H 10T(1/2) and human glioma U87MG cells were determined by the flow cytometric bromodeoxyuridine pulse-chase method. Cells were exposed to a frequency-modulated continuous wave at 835.62 MHz or a code division multiple access RF EMF centered on 847.74 MHz at an average specific absorption rate of 0.6 W/kg. Five cell cycle parameters, including the transit of cells through G(1), G(2) and S phase and the probability of cell division, were examined immediately after the cells were placed in the fields or after they had been kept in the fields for up to 100 h. The only significant change observed in the study was that associated with C3H 10T(1/2) cell cultures moving into plateau phase toward the later times in the long-exposure experiment. No changes in the cell cycle parameters were observed in cells exposed to either mode of RF EMFs when compared to sham-exposed cells in either of the cell lines studied during the entire experimental period. The results show that exposure to RF EMFs, at the frequencies and power tested, does not have any effect on cell progression in vitro.

In vitro effects of microwave radiation on rat liver mitochondria

Liver mitochondria were exposed in vitro at 30 degrees C to microwave radiation (2.45 GHz) during the following states of respiration: resting, state 1; substrate dependent, state 2; ADP stimulated, state 3; and ADP depleted, state 4. At 10 or 100 mW/g, with succinate as substrate, no effect of exposure was observed on states 1-4 or the respiratory control index (state 3/state 4) of either tightly or loosely coupled mitochondria. When glutamate was used as substrate, no effects were observed at 10 mW/g. However, in the loosely coupled mitochondria the 100 mW/g exposure produced an increase in states 2 and 4 and a decrease in the respiratory control index. The results suggest that the function of loosely coupled mitochondria can be affected at high power levels of microwave radiation.

Lack of effect of 2.45-GHz microwave radiation on the development of preimplantation embryos of mice

The development of preimplantation embryos after exposure to microwave radiation was studied. Female CD-1 mice were induced to superovulate, mated, and exposed to 2.45-GHz microwave or sham radiation for 3 h at power densities of 9 mW/cm2 and 19 mW/cm2 on either day 2 or 3 of pregnancy (plug day was considered day 1). Another group of mice was exposed to heat stress by placing the dams in an environmental room at an ambient temperature of 38 degrees C and relative humidity at 62% for 3 h on day 2 of pregnancy. All groups were euthanized on day 4 of pregnancy and embryos were recovered by flushing excised uterine horns. Embryos were examined for abnormalities and classified by the developmental stages. They were then treated with hypotonic solution and dissociated for counting blastomeres. Heat stress caused stunted development of embryos, but no remarkable effect of microwave radiation could be found on the development of preimplantation embryos.

Influence of CW microwave radiation on in vitro release of enzymes from retinol- treated hepatic lysosomes

Hepatic lysosomes were exposed in vitro to microwave radiation (2450 MHz) either prior to or simultaneously with treatment with retinol (vitamin A), and the release of the lysosomal enzymes, beta-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase, and cathepsin D, determined. A 60-min microwave exposure (10 or 100 mW/g) of retinol-treated lysosomes had no effect on the amount of release of beta-glucuronidase, cathepsin D, or acid phosphatase. In addition, 10 and 100 mW/g irradiation of lysosome fractions for 40 min prior to a 20-min retinol and microwave treatment, had no influence on the release of these enzymes. Finally, the effect of microwave radiation on the loss of latency of acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase from retinol-treated lysosomes was determined. Microwave radiation had no influence on the rate of appearance of these enzymes in the suspending medium. The results indicate that microwave radiation had no effect on the retinol-induced lysosomal enzyme release.

Effects of 2.45-GHz microwave radiation on embryonic quail hearts

Although exposure to nonionizing electromagnetic radiation has been reported to cause a variety of systemic alterations during embryonic development, there are few reports of the induction of specific physiology or morphologic changes in the myocardium. This study was designed to examine the effects of microwave radiation on cardiogenesis in Japanese quail embryos exposed during the first eight days of development to 2.45-GHz continuous-wave microwaves at power densities of 5 or 20 mW/cm2. The specific absorption rates were 4.0 and 16.2 mW/g, respectively. The ambient temperature for each exposure was set to maintain the embryonated eggs at 37.5 degree C. This did not preclude thermal gradients in the irradiated embryos since microwaves may not uniformly absorbed. The test exposure levels did not induce changes in either the morphology of the embryonic heart or the ultrastructure of the myocardial cells. Analysis of the enzymatic activities of lactate dehydrogenase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and creatine phosphokinase failed to reveal any statistically significant differences between the nonexposed controls and those groups exposed to either 5 or 20 mW/cm2. The data indicate that 2.45-GHz microwave radiation at 5 or 20 mW/cm2 has no effect on the measured variables of the Japanese quail myocardium exposed during the first eight days of development.

Microwave irradiation and in vitro release of enzymes from hepatic lysosomes

An exposure system for examining in vitro effects of microwave irradiation on cellular and subcellular components has been developed. The system was used to test the effect of 2.45-GHz CW microwaves on the release of two lysosomal enzymes. At a specific absorption rat (SAR) of 10, 50 or 100 mW/g (90 min) no effects were noted at 37 degrees C (pH of 7.3) on lysosomal fragility as determined by the release of the lysosomal enzymes cathepsin D and beta-glucuronidase. When the medium was adjusted to pH 5.0, microwave irradiation of the lysosomal suspension had no effect on the acid-induced enhancement of release of lysosomal enzymes. The data indicate that microwave irradiation had no labilizing effect on the lysosomal membrane, although other microwave-membrane interactions not associated with enzyme release may occur.