Reactive oxygen species levels and DNA fragmentation on astrocytes in primary culture after acute exposure to low intensity microwave electromagnetic field.
Campisi A, Gulino M, Acquaviva R, Bellia P, Raciti G, Grasso R, Musumeci F, Vanella A, Triglia A · 2010
View Original AbstractA significant increase in ROS levels and DNA fragmentation was found only after exposure of astrocytes to modulated EMF for 20 min, while continuous waves produced no evident effects.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed primary rat neocortical astroglial cell cultures to electromagnetic fields in the microwave range, either as continuous waves or amplitude-modulated at 50 Hz, for 5, 10, or 20 minutes. A significant increase in ROS levels and DNA fragmentation was found only after exposure of the astrocytes to modulated EMF for 20 min. Cell viability was not affected, and the irradiation conditions allowed the exclusion of any possible thermal effect.
Why This Matters
The cells used were rat neocortical astrocytes grown in culture for 14 days before exposure. The strength of the electric field at the sample position was 10 V/m, which the researchers described as low intensity. No evident effects were detected when shorter time intervals or continuous waves were used. The researchers suggested that astrocytes in primary cultures represent the principal target of modulated EMF. The findings led the researchers to suggest that the effects could be due to hyperstimulation of the glutamate receptors, which play a crucial role in acute and chronic brain damage.
Exposure Details
- Electric Field
- 10 V/m
- Source/Device
- 900 MHz continuous waves or 900 MHz waves modulated in amplitude at 50 Hz using a sinusoidal waveform
- Exposure Duration
- 5, 10, or 20 min
Exposure Context
This study used 10 V/m for electric fields:
- 33.3x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.3 V/m
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Study Details
The exposure of primary rat neocortical astroglial cell cultures to acute electromagnetic fields (EMF) in the microwave range was studied.
Differentiated astroglial cell cultures at 14 days in vitro were exposed for 5, 10, or 20 min to eit...
No change in cellular viability evaluated by MTT test and lactate dehydrogenase release was observed...
Our data demonstrate, for the first time, that even acute exposure to low intensity EMF induces ROS production and DNA fragmentation in astrocytes in primary cultures, which also represent the principal target of modulated EMF. Our findings also suggest the hypothesis that the effects could be due to hyperstimulation of the glutamate receptors, which play a crucial role in acute and chronic brain damage. Furthermore, the results show the importance of the amplitude modulation in the interaction between EMF and neocortical astrocytes.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_2010_reactive_oxygen_species_levels_6,
author = {Campisi A and Gulino M and Acquaviva R and Bellia P and Raciti G and Grasso R and Musumeci F and Vanella A and Triglia A},
title = {Reactive oxygen species levels and DNA fragmentation on astrocytes in primary culture after acute exposure to low intensity microwave electromagnetic field.},
year = {2010},
url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030439401000176X},
}