Effect of microwave electromagnetic radiation (UHF EMR) on tumor cell viability in experiment

Abstract

66 Alterations in the environmental magnetic field strength are a matter of public concern in view of their possible biological effects and adverse consequences for human health. Numerous publications, including analytical reviews and monographs, are devoted to this problem. Constant and alternating electric and mag netic fields of a wide frequency spectrum and various intensities have been extensively studied with respect to their effects on the whole organisms [1–4], but data on their effects at the level of cells and cell systems are relatively scarce. Therefore, we performed this study on the model of Ehrlich’s ascites carcinoma (EAC), in which different stages of cell population development can be monitored within a short period of time [5]. Initially, EAC cells were washed and diluted in saline to a density of 15 × 106 cells/mL, and the suspension was intraperitoneally injected into 150 male mice weighing 25–27 g at a dose of 0.2 mL per animal. On days 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 after the injection, samples of EAC cells were collected, examined for viability, and total cell count was taken. The cell suspension was then divided into two portions. Cells from the first portion were exposed for 30 min to UHF EMR (900 MHz, 9 μW/cm2) from a Sony Ericsson cellular phone placed at a distance of 1 cm from tubes with cell suspension. Cells from the second (control) portion were handled similarly but without irradiation. There after, the total and dead cell counts were taken in each group, and smears were prepared for cytological analy sis and identification of cells with morphological alter ations (blebbing) of the plasma membrane. Each sam ple was also tested for microviscosity of the membrane lipid bilayer (at excitation wavelength λexc = 334 nm) and protein–lipid contact zones (λexc = 286 nm). Measurements were made in an AMINCO Bowman Series 2 spectrofluorometer (Thermo Fisher Scien tific, United States) using pyrene as a probe.