Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Millimeter wave induced reversible externalization of phosphatidylserine molecules in cells exposed in vitro med./bio.

By: Szabo I, Kappelmayer J, Alekseev SI, Ziskin MC

Published in: Bioelectromagnetics 2006; 27 (3): 233-244

To study the effects of millimeter waves on thrombogenic activity and phosphatidylserine externalization in various human and murine cells.

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a key phospholipid component of eucaryotic cell membrane and found almost exclusively on inner leaflet of the plasma membrane lipid bilayer in normal healthy cells. PS externalization is an important physiological signal (for example, in the apoptotic process).

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 42.25 GHz Exposure duration: continuous for 30 min	power density: 0.55 W/cm² spatial average power density: 1.23 W/cm² spatial average
Exposure 2: 42.25 GHz Modulation type: CW Exposure duration: continuous for 30 min	power density: 34.5 mW/cm² peak value

Sham exposure were performed under the same conditions as the real exposureexcept that the MMW generators were not energized.

Modulation type	unspecified

Exposure source	open ended waveguide 2.6 x 5.2 mm
Distance between exposed object and exposure source	1 mm

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power density	0.55 W/cm²	spatial average	unspecified	-	-
power density	1.23 W/cm²	spatial average	unspecified	-	-

Modulation type	CW

Exposure source	YAV-1 MMW generator connected to a horn antenna
Distance between exposed object and exposure source	1 mm

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power density	34.5 mW/cm²	peak value	unspecified	-	-

Exposed system:

Investigated system:

Time of investigation:

Fluorescence microscopy of the adherent human keratinocytes and murine melanoma cells showed that millimeter wave exposure at an incident power density of 1.23 W/cm² is capable of inducing reversible externalization of phosphatidylserine molecules in cells within the beam area without detectable membrane damage.
Non-adherent Jurkat cells exposed to millimeter wave at an incident power density of 34.5 mW/cm² also showed reversible phosphatidylserine externalization with flow cytometry, whether the cell temperature was held constant or permitted to rise.
These data suggest that certain biological effects induced by millimeter waves could be initiated by membrane changes in exposed cells.

Study character:

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM; U.S. National Institutes of Health), Maryland, USA
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Maryland, USA