Abstract
Non-ionizing radiation is commonly used in the clinical setting, despite its known ability to trigger oxidative stress and apoptosis, which can lead to damage and cell death. Although induction of cell death is typically considered harmful, apoptosis can also be beneficial in the right context. For example, cell death can serve as the signal for new tissue growth, such as in apoptosis-induced proliferation. Recent data has shown that exposure to non-ionizing radiation (such as weak static magnetic fields, weak radiofrequency magnetic fields, and weak electromagnetic fields) is able to modulate proliferation, both in cell culture and in living organisms (for example during tissue regeneration). This occurs via in vivo changes in the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are canonical activators of apoptosis. This review will describe the literature that highlights the tantalizing possibility that non-ionizing radiation could be used to manipulate apoptosis-induced proliferation to either promote growth (for regenerative medicine) or inhibit it (for cancer therapies). However, as uncontrolled growth can lead to tumorigenesis, much more research into this exciting and developing area is needed in order to realize its promise.
Highlights
The last century has brought about revolutionary discoveries that have furthered our fundamental understanding of natural phenomena, such as ionizing and non-ionizing radiation
Recent research on non-ionizing radiation (NIR) has shown that it can be an effective, non-invasive approach to control proliferation and tissue growth; few studies have robustly investigated the mechanisms by which these effects occur [88]
This review has highlighted the evidence present in the literature that demonstrates NIR may be useful as a tool to manipulate apoptosis-induced proliferation (Figure 2)
Summary
The last century has brought about revolutionary discoveries that have furthered our fundamental understanding of natural phenomena, such as ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Non-ionizing radiation (such as static magnetic fields, radiofrequency magnetic fields, and electromagnetic fields) has been used diagnostically in healthcare for decades, it has been largely researched in the context of negative health outcomes [1,2] Much of this concern centered around research on the development and propagation of cancers [3]. A combination of low-level alternating and static magnetic fields has been shown to suppress tumor development in mouse models of cancer [5] Evidence such as this suggests that NIR may be a potential therapeutic tool for cancer and other related diseases. This recent progress is exciting, yet our understanding of the mechanisms by which NIR induces these effects is limited in many capacities. Cell division by mitosis (proliferation), induced by mitogen release from neighboring cells undergoing programed cell death (apoptosis)
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