Pulsed high-power microwaves do not impair the functions of skin normal and cancer cells in vitro: A short- term biological evaluation

2020 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 1602

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2020

Study typein_vitro

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Pulsed high-power microwaves do not impair the functions of skin normal and cancer cells in vitro: A short- term biological evaluation Mumtaz S, Bhartiya P, Kaushik N, Adhikari M, Lamichhane P, Lee S-J, Kaushik NK, Choi EH. Pulsed high-power microwaves do not impair the functions of skin normal and cancer cells in vitro: A short-term biological evaluation. J Advance Research. 22: 47-55. Mar 2020. Highlights • Pulsed high power microwave (MW) at a frequency 3.5 GHz was generated. • MW did not induce cell death in skin fibroblast normal cells and melanoma cells. • MW did not alter the morphology of melanoma cells. • Gene expression related to ATP synthesis and proliferation can get altered by MW. • MW selectively stimulated viability and proliferation of only melanoma cells. Abstract Over the past few decades, microwave (MW) radiation has been widely used, and its biological effects have been extensively investigated. However, the effect of MW radiation on human skin biology is not well understood. We study the effects of pulsed high-power microwaves (HPMs) on melanoma (G361 and SK-Mel-31) and normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cells. A pulsed power generator (Chundoong) was used to generate pulsed HPMs (dominant frequency: 3.5 GHz). For treatment 1, 5, 15, and 45 shots are given to cells in which the electromagnetic energy of 0.6 J was delivered to the cells at each trigger shot. Cell viability, proliferation rate, apoptosis, cell death, metabolic activity, and oxygen-free radical regulation were evaluated after the MW exposure at low and high doses. MW exposure increased the viabilities and proliferation rates of both melanoma cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, while no significant effects on the fibroblast cells were observed. We found an elevated level of ATP and mitochondrial activity in melanoma cells. Also, it was observed that MW exposure did not affect cell death in melanoma and fibroblast cells. A polymerase chain reaction analysis indicated that the MWs induced dose-dependent proliferation markers without affecting the cell cycle and apoptotic genes in the melanoma cells. Our findings show the differential effects ofthe MW radiation on the melanoma cells, compared to those on the fibroblast cells. Conclusion This study reveals that the MW exposure led to increased cell growth and proliferation specific to melanoma after 24 h, which could be attributed to the increased mitochondrial activity by the increased ATP level. The MW exposure did not affect the normal fibroblast cells at the considered doses, while it altered the melanoma cell physiology in a cell-type specific manner. Therefore, MW exposure may be utilized with mitotic inhibitory chemotherapeutic drugs for melanoma cells and should be considered while analyzing melanoma cells in vitro.Further investigations are required to study the cellular signaling upon MW exposure. Open access paper: doi.org

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typein_vitro

Effect directionmixed

PopulationIn vitro human melanoma cell lines (G361, SK-Mel-31) and normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cells

Sample sizeNot supplied

Exposuremicrowave · 3500 MHz · 1, 5, 15, and 45 shots; 0.6 J delivered per trigger shot; outcomes assessed after 24 h

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Pulsed high-power microwave exposure (dominant frequency 3.5 GHz) increased viability and proliferation of both melanoma cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, with elevated ATP and mitochondrial activity, while no significant effects were observed in normal dermal fibroblasts. Exposure did not affect cell death in melanoma or fibroblast cells; PCR suggested dose-dependent induction of proliferation markers in melanoma without affecting cell cycle and apoptotic genes.

Outcomes measured

cell viability
proliferation rate
apoptosis
cell death
metabolic activity
oxygen-free radical regulation
ATP level
mitochondrial activity
cell morphology
gene expression (proliferation markers, cell cycle genes, apoptotic genes)

Limitations

In vitro study (cell lines)
Short-term evaluation (reported after 24 h)
No SAR reported; exposure characterized by delivered energy per shot (0.6 J) and number of shots

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "in_vitro",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "microwave",
    "source": "pulsed high-power microwaves (HPMs)",
    "frequency_mhz": 3500,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "1, 5, 15, and 45 shots; 0.6 J delivered per trigger shot; outcomes assessed after 24 h"
  },
  "population": "In vitro human melanoma cell lines (G361, SK-Mel-31) and normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cells",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "cell viability",
    "proliferation rate",
    "apoptosis",
    "cell death",
    "metabolic activity",
    "oxygen-free radical regulation",
    "ATP level",
    "mitochondrial activity",
    "cell morphology",
    "gene expression (proliferation markers, cell cycle genes, apoptotic genes)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Pulsed high-power microwave exposure (dominant frequency 3.5 GHz) increased viability and proliferation of both melanoma cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, with elevated ATP and mitochondrial activity, while no significant effects were observed in normal dermal fibroblasts. Exposure did not affect cell death in melanoma or fibroblast cells; PCR suggested dose-dependent induction of proliferation markers in melanoma without affecting cell cycle and apoptotic genes.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "In vitro study (cell lines)",
    "Short-term evaluation (reported after 24 h)",
    "No SAR reported; exposure characterized by delivered energy per shot (0.6 J) and number of shots"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "pulsed high-power microwaves",
    "microwave radiation",
    "3.5 GHz",
    "melanoma",
    "G361",
    "SK-Mel-31",
    "normal human dermal fibroblast",
    "NHDF",
    "cell viability",
    "proliferation",
    "ATP",
    "mitochondrial activity",
    "PCR gene expression"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2019.11.007
PubMed: Not supplied

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