Exposure of cultured astroglial and microglial brain cells to 900 MHz microwave radiation.

Radiation research · 2006 · No effect · Low evidence

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No effectLow evidencePaper 6439

Study snapshot

PublicationRadiation research · 2006

Study typein_vitro

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

The rapid rise in the use of mobile communications has raised concerns about health issues related to low-level microwave radiation. The head and brain are usually the most exposed targets in mobile phone users. In the brain, two types of glial cells, the astroglial and the microglial cells, are interesting in the context of biological effects from microwave exposure. These cells are widely distributed in the brain and are directly involved in the response to brain damage as well as in the development of brain cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether 900 MHz radiation could affect these two different glial cell types in culture by studying markers for damage-related processes in the cells. Primary cultures enriched in astroglial cells were exposed to 900 MHz microwave radiation in a temperature-controlled exposure system at specific absorption rates (SARs) of 3 W/kg GSM modulated wave (mw) for 4, 8 and 24 h or 27 W/kg continuous wave (cw) for 24 h, and the release into the extracellular medium of the two pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 (Il6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (Tnfa) was analyzed. In addition, levels of the astroglial cell-specific reactive marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (Gfap), whose expression dynamics is different from that of cytokines, were measured in astroglial cultures and in astroglial cell-conditioned cell culture medium at SARs of 27 and 54 W/kg (cw) for 4 or 24 h. No significant differences could be detected for any of the parameters studied at any time and for any of the radiation characteristics. Total protein levels remained constant during the experiments. Microglial cell cultures were exposed to 900 MHz radiation at an SAR of 3 W/kg (mw) for 8 h, and I16, Tnfa, total protein and the microglial reactivity marker ED-1 (a macrophage activation antigen) were measured. No significant differences were found. The morphology of the cultured astroglial cells and microglia was studied and appeared to be unaffected by microwave irradiation. Thus this study does not provide evidence for any effect of the microwave radiation used on damage-related factors in glial cells in culture.

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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 directionno_effect

PopulationPrimary cultured astroglial and microglial brain cells (in vitro)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureRF · 900 MHz · 4, 8, 24 h (astroglial); 8 h (microglial)

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Primary astroglial cultures exposed to 900 MHz radiation (3 W/kg GSM-modulated for 4, 8, 24 h; 27 W/kg continuous wave for 24 h; and GFAP assessed at 27 and 54 W/kg continuous wave for 4 or 24 h) showed no significant differences in IL6, TNFα, GFAP, total protein, or morphology versus controls. Microglial cultures exposed at 3 W/kg GSM-modulated for 8 h showed no significant differences in IL6, TNFα, ED-1, total protein, or morphology.

Outcomes measured

Interleukin 6 (IL6) release
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) release
Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels
ED-1 (macrophage activation antigen) levels
Total protein levels
Cell morphology

Limitations

Sample size not reported in abstract
In vitro cell culture model; generalizability to in vivo human exposure not addressed in abstract
Endpoints limited to selected cytokines, reactivity markers, total protein, and morphology
Exposure conditions include relatively high SARs (e.g., 27–54 W/kg) and may not reflect typical user exposures (not discussed in abstract)

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "in_vitro",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": 900,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "4, 8, 24 h (astroglial); 8 h (microglial)"
  },
  "population": "Primary cultured astroglial and microglial brain cells (in vitro)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Interleukin 6 (IL6) release",
    "Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) release",
    "Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels",
    "ED-1 (macrophage activation antigen) levels",
    "Total protein levels",
    "Cell morphology"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Primary astroglial cultures exposed to 900 MHz radiation (3 W/kg GSM-modulated for 4, 8, 24 h; 27 W/kg continuous wave for 24 h; and GFAP assessed at 27 and 54 W/kg continuous wave for 4 or 24 h) showed no significant differences in IL6, TNFα, GFAP, total protein, or morphology versus controls. Microglial cultures exposed at 3 W/kg GSM-modulated for 8 h showed no significant differences in IL6, TNFα, ED-1, total protein, or morphology.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "Sample size not reported in abstract",
    "In vitro cell culture model; generalizability to in vivo human exposure not addressed in abstract",
    "Endpoints limited to selected cytokines, reactivity markers, total protein, and morphology",
    "Exposure conditions include relatively high SARs (e.g., 27–54 W/kg) and may not reflect typical user exposures (not discussed in abstract)"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "900 MHz",
    "microwave radiation",
    "RF",
    "GSM modulation",
    "continuous wave",
    "SAR",
    "astroglial cells",
    "microglia",
    "IL6",
    "TNF-alpha",
    "GFAP",
    "ED-1",
    "cell morphology"
  ],
  "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: 10.1667/rr3584.1
PubMed: 16881742

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