Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Changes in cellular proteins due to environmental non-ionizing radiation. I. Heat-shock proteins med./bio.

By: Kwee S, Raskmark P, Velizarov S
Published in: Electro Magnetobiol 2001; 20 (2): 141-152
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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the effect of weak microwave fields on the amounts of heat-shock proteins in cell cultures at various temperatures (35, 37, and 40°C). To study the effect of heating only, the cells were placed in the field-free exposure incubator and were heated to the same and also to higher temperatures up to 42°C.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 960 MHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: continuous for 20 min

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 960 MHz
Type
Charakteristic
  • guided field
Exposure duration continuous for 20 min
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Duty cycle 12 %
Repetition frequency 217 Hz
Pulse type rectangular
Additional info

simulated GSM
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber A TEM cell of 320 mm length and 160 mm TEM region was located in an incubator maintained at 35, 37, and 40 ± 0.1°C.
Setup A Petri dish containing 4 glass cover slips with cell cultures was placed in the TEM cell. A control dish was placed outside the TEM cell at a distance of 20 cm from the exposed dish.
Additional info Sham experiments were made with the TEM cell not powered. Effects of heating only (up to 42°C) were studied by placing the coverslips in a field-free incubator.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
electric field strength 17 mV/cm peak value calculated - -
SAR 2.1 mW/kg unspecified calculated - -
Additional parameter details

Static and 50 Hz AC MF measured at TEM cell position were 1 µT.

Measurement and calculation details

For calculation of the SAR, the same method was applied as in previous experiments (see reference article). The SAR value was obtained from FDTD calculations of the EMF distribution in a microtiter suspension well. The dielectric parameters were based on the composition of a mammalian cell also assumed for cells growing on coverslips.

Reference articles

  • Kwee S et al. (1998): Changes in cell proliferation due to environmental non-ionizing radiation 2. Microwave radiation

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

At both 35 and 37°C, higher amounts of Hsp-70 were found in the exposed cells as compared with the sham-exposed cells. The effects can be considered to be athermal. In the heat control experiments the cells had to be heated up to 3-5°C higher, or for much longer time, to get the same maximum responses as were induced by the microwave irradiation. There was no significant response in the case of Hsp-27.

Study character:

Study funded by

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