Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Microwave induces apoptosis in A549 human lung carcinoma cell line med./bio.

By: Song XL, Wang CH, Hu HY, Yu C, Bai C

Published in: Chin Med J 2011; 124 (8): 1193-1198

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the effects of microwave irradiation on damaging changes and apoptosis indexes in A549 lung cancer cell line (for a therapeutical approach in lung cancer treatment).

Endpoint

cell viability/cell division/proliferation: apoptosis

Exposure

- microwaves

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: unspecified Exposure duration: continuous for 20 min	power density: 200 mW/cm² (group A) power density: 400 mW/cm² (group B) power density: 600 mW/cm² (group C)
Exposure 2: unspecified Exposure duration: continuous for 10 min	power density: 600 mW/cm² (group D)
Exposure 3: unspecified Exposure duration: continuous for 30 min	power density: 600 mW/cm² (group E)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	unspecified
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 20 min

Exposure setup

Exposure source	high-power microwave source
Setup	cells exposed in culture plates with 96 wells (200 µl/well) or 6 wells (1 ml/well)
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power density	200 mW/cm²	-	-	-	group A
power density	400 mW/cm²	-	-	-	group B
power density	600 mW/cm²	-	-	-	group C

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Frequency	unspecified
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 10 min

Exposure setup

Exposure source	same setup as exposure 1
Setup	cells exposed in culture plates with 96 wells (200 µl/well) or 6 wells (1 ml/well)
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power density	600 mW/cm²	-	-	-	group D

Exposure 3

Main characteristics

Frequency	unspecified
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 30 min

Exposure setup

Exposure source	same setup as exposure 1
Setup	cells exposed in culture plates with 96 wells (200 µl/well) or 6 wells (1 ml/well)
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power density	600 mW/cm²	-	-	-	group E

Exposed system:

intact cell/cell culture
A549 (human lung cancer cell line)

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

molecular biosynthesis: protein expression (Bcl-2 and p53; immunohistochemistry (at 0, 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after exposure))
cell viability/cell division/proliferation: apoptosis (annexin V/ propidium iodide double-staining (flow cytometry; 6 and 24 h after exposure) and MTT assay (at 0, 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after exposure))
morphol./histopathol. changes: morphological changes (phase contrast microscopy)

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Microwave exposure caused morphological changes in the A549 cells, including cell shrinking and nuclear pyknosis. Microwave exposure also significantly inhibited metabolic activities and induced apoptosis in A549 cells: The results of the MTT assay showed a significant decrease of cell activities in all exposure groups compared with the control group in a time-dependent manner and to some extent in a dose-depenent manner. Apoptosis rate was increased in all exposed groups compared to the control group in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Downregulation of Bcl-2 protein expression and upregulation of p53 expression were observed after exposure.
In concludion, microwaves can promote apoptosis in A549 cells. The effect depends on the duration and dosage of the microwave exposure. Bcl-2 and p53 proteins may be involved in the apoptotic process of A549 cells induced by microwaves. The data imply the possibility that microwaves might provide a novel approach in lung cancer treatment.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, China

Naziroglu M et al. (2012): 2.45-Gz wireless devices induce oxidative stress and proliferation through cytosolic Ca(2+) influx in human leukemia cancer cells
Motomura T et al. (2010): Evaluation of systemic external microwave hyperthermia for treatment of pleural metastasis in orthotopic lung cancer model
Perez-Castejon C et al. (2009): Exposure to ELF-pulse modulated X band microwaves increases in vitro human astrocytoma cell proliferation
Buttiglione M et al. (2007): Radiofrequency radiation (900 MHz) induces Egr-1 gene expression and affects cell-cycle control in human neuroblastoma cells
Joubert V et al. (2006): Microwave exposure of neuronal cells in vitro: Study of apoptosis
Orel VE et al. (2004): Effects of mechanochemically activated doxorubicin and 40 MHz frequency irradiation on human A-549 lung carcinoma cells
Maeda K et al. (2004): In vitro and in vivo induction of human LoVo cells into apoptotic process by non-invasive microwave treatment: a potentially novel approach for physical therapy of human colorectal cancer
Peinnequin A et al. (2000): Non-thermal effects of continuous 2.45 GHz microwaves on Fas-induced apoptosis in human Jurkat T-cell line

Microwave induces apoptosis in A549 human lung carcinoma cell line med./bio.

Aim of study (acc. to author)

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Exposure setup

Parameters

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Exposure setup

Parameters

Exposure 3

Main characteristics

Exposure setup

Parameters

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Study funded by

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