A Study of the Effects of 10.75GHz Microwave Radiation on Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Ion Channels

Abstract

Exposure to continuous wave 10.75GHz microwave radiation at field strengths as low as 50µW.cm-2 has been reported to decrease the opening frequency of nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor ion channels by 20–40% within 60s of the onset of exposure in cultured chick myotubes1. This suggests that the ACh receptor-ion channel complex may offer an attractive model system for investigating the biological interactions of radiofrequency (RF) radiation and for determining the detailed mechanisms of such interactions. I have therefore attempted to replicate these results with continuous wave RF in both cultured myotubes and dissociated muscle fibres, as a preliminary to evaluating the effects of pulsed RF. Despite careful reproduction of the experimental conditions described by D’Inzeo et al.1, I have been unable to demonstrate any effect of 10.75GHz or 700MHz continuous wave RF on the channels.