Absence of mutagenic interaction between microwaves and mitomycin C in mammalian cells. 1989

M L Meltz, and P Eagan, and D N Erwin
University of Texas, Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284.

Evidence in the literature from in vitro and in vivo studies as to whether or not radiofrequency radiation (RFR) in the microwave range is mutagenic is predominantly negative, with some positive reports. No evidence is available as to whether RFR will alter the mutagenic activity of genotoxic chemicals during a simultaneous exposure, a likely real-life situation. Two hypotheses have been proposed: a) that RFR by itself can cause mutations in a mammalian cell in vitro assay system; and b) that a simultaneous exposure to RFR during a chemical treatment of the cells with a known genotoxic agent, mitomycin C (MMC), will alter the extent of mutagenesis induced by the treatment of the cells by the chemical alone. These studies were performed using the forward mutation assay at the thymidine kinase locus in L5178Y mouse leukemic cells. The pulsed wave RFR was broadcast from an antenna horn at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. The power density was 48.8 mW/cm2 and the measured specific absorption rate (SAR) in this system was 30 W/kg (600 W forward power), which is well above current safety guidelines. The conclusions from five different experiments, employing three different concentrations of MMC, were that a) RFR exposure alone, at moderate power levels which resulted in a temperature increase in the cell culture medium of less than 3 degrees C, is not mutagenic; and b) when cells are simultaneously treated with MMC and RFR at these same moderate power levels, the RFR does not affect either the inhibition of cell growth or the extent of mutagenesis resulting from the treatment with the chemical MMC alone.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008872 Microwaves That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum from the UHF (ultrahigh frequency) radio waves and extending into the INFRARED RAYS frequencies. EHF Waves,Extremely High Frequency Radio Waves,Micro Wave,Micro Waves,Ultrahigh Frequency Waves,Microwave Radiation,EHF Wave,Micro Waves,Microwave,Microwave Radiations,Radiation, Microwave,Ultrahigh Frequency Wave,Wave, EHF,Wave, Micro,Wave, Ultrahigh Frequency,Waves, Micro
D008937 Mitomycins A group of methylazirinopyrroloindolediones obtained from certain Streptomyces strains. They are very toxic antibiotics used as ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS in some solid tumors. PORFIROMYCIN and MITOMYCIN are the most useful members of the group.
D009152 Mutagenicity Tests Tests of chemical substances and physical agents for mutagenic potential. They include microbial, insect, mammalian cell, and whole animal tests. Genetic Toxicity Tests,Genotoxicity Tests,Mutagen Screening,Tests, Genetic Toxicity,Toxicity Tests, Genetic,Genetic Toxicity Test,Genotoxicity Test,Mutagen Screenings,Mutagenicity Test,Screening, Mutagen,Screenings, Mutagen,Test, Genotoxicity,Tests, Genotoxicity,Toxicity Test, Genetic
D009153 Mutagens Chemical agents that increase the rate of genetic mutation by interfering with the function of nucleic acids. A clastogen is a specific mutagen that causes breaks in chromosomes. Clastogen,Clastogens,Genotoxin,Genotoxins,Mutagen
D002455 Cell Division The fission of a CELL. It includes CYTOKINESIS, when the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided, and CELL NUCLEUS DIVISION. M Phase,Cell Division Phase,Cell Divisions,Division Phase, Cell,Division, Cell,Divisions, Cell,M Phases,Phase, Cell Division,Phase, M,Phases, M
D004249 DNA Damage Injuries to DNA that introduce deviations from its normal, intact structure and which may, if left unrepaired, result in a MUTATION or a block of DNA REPLICATION. These deviations may be caused by physical or chemical agents and occur by natural or unnatural, introduced circumstances. They include the introduction of illegitimate bases during replication or by deamination or other modification of bases; the loss of a base from the DNA backbone leaving an abasic site; single-strand breaks; double strand breaks; and intrastrand (PYRIMIDINE DIMERS) or interstrand crosslinking. Damage can often be repaired (DNA REPAIR). If the damage is extensive, it can induce APOPTOSIS. DNA Injury,DNA Lesion,DNA Lesions,Genotoxic Stress,Stress, Genotoxic,Injury, DNA,DNA Injuries
D004260 DNA Repair The removal of DNA LESIONS and/or restoration of intact DNA strands without BASE PAIR MISMATCHES, intrastrand or interstrand crosslinks, or discontinuities in the DNA sugar-phosphate backbones. DNA Damage Response
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013696 Temperature The property of objects that determines the direction of heat flow when they are placed in direct thermal contact. The temperature is the energy of microscopic motions (vibrational and translational) of the particles of atoms. Temperatures
D014407 Tumor Cells, Cultured Cells grown in vitro from neoplastic tissue. If they can be established as a TUMOR CELL LINE, they can be propagated in cell culture indefinitely. Cultured Tumor Cells,Neoplastic Cells, Cultured,Cultured Neoplastic Cells,Cell, Cultured Neoplastic,Cell, Cultured Tumor,Cells, Cultured Neoplastic,Cells, Cultured Tumor,Cultured Neoplastic Cell,Cultured Tumor Cell,Neoplastic Cell, Cultured,Tumor Cell, Cultured

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