title: Effects on protein kinase C and gene expression in a human mast cell line, HMC-1, following microwave exposure.
abstract: We used a resonant cavity which delivered a continuous wave exposure at 864.3 MHz at an average specific absorption rate (SAR) of 7 W/kg to determine non-thermal biological effects of microwave exposure. A human mast cell line, HMC-1, was used as the biological target. Cells were given three exposures each of 20-min duration daily for 7 days. The temperature of the cell culture medium during the exposure fell to 26.5 degrees C. Effects were seen on localization of protein kinase C, and expression of three genes of 588 screened. The affected genes included the proto-oncogene c-kit, the transcription factor Nucleoside diphosphate kinase B and the apoptosis-associated gene DAD-1. Stress response genes were variably upregulated. No significant effect on morphology or on F-actin distribution was detected. We conclude that low-power microwave exposure may act on HMC-1 cells by altering gene expression via a mechanism involving activation of protein kinase C, and at temperatures well below those known to induce a heat shock response.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immunology, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: French
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002460:Cell Line; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008407:Mast Cells; D008872:Microwaves; D009701:Nucleoside-Diphosphate Kinase / Q000235:genetics; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C096021:Dad-1 protein, C elegans; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D009701:Nucleoside-Diphosphate Kinase