title: Exposure to 900 MHz electromagnetic field induces an unbalance between pro-apoptotic and pro-survival signals in T-lymphoblastoid leukemia CCRF-CEM cells.
abstract: It has been recently established that low-frequency electromagnetic field (EMFs) exposure induces biological changes and could be associated with increased incidence of cancer, while the issue remains unresolved as to whether high-frequency EMFs can have hazardous effect on health. Epidemiological studies on association between childhood cancers, particularly leukemia and brain cancer, and exposure to low- and high-frequency EMF suggested an etiological role of EMFs in inducing adverse health effects. To investigate whether exposure to high-frequency EMFs could affect in vitro cell survival, we cultured acute T-lymphoblastoid leukemia cells (CCRF-CEM) in the presence of unmodulated 900 MHz EMF, generated by a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) cell, at various exposure times. We evaluated the effects of high-frequency EMF on cell growth rate and apoptosis induction, by cell viability (MTT) test, FACS analysis and DNA ladder, and we investigated pro-apoptotic and pro-survival signaling pathways possibly involved as a function of exposure time by Western blot analysis. At short exposure times (2-12 h), unmodulated 900 MHz EMF induced DNA breaks and early activation of both p53-dependent and -independent apoptotic pathways while longer continuous exposure (24-48 h) determined silencing of pro-apoptotic signals and activation of genes involved in both intracellular (Bcl-2) and extracellular (Ras and Akt1) pro-survival signaling. Overall our results indicate that exposure to 900 MHz continuous wave, after inducing an early self-defense response triggered by DNA damage, could confer to the survivor CCRF-CEM cells a further advantage to survive and proliferate.
authors: Institute for Organ Transplantation and Immunocytology, ITOI-CNR, Bologna unit, c/o IOR, Bologna, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Marinelli
authors: D
authors: D
authors: La Sala
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Cicciotti
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Cattini
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Trimarchi
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Putti
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Zamparelli
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Giuliani
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Tomassetti
authors: Caterina
authors: C
authors: Cinti
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000528:radiation effects; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53