Label-Free Study of the Global Cell Behavior during Exposure to Environmental Radiofrequency Fields in the Presence or Absence of Pro-Apoptotic or Pro-Autophagic Treatments

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 23; no. 2; p. 658
• Main Authors: Joushomme, Alexandre, Garenne, André, Dufossée, Mélody, Renom, Rémy, Ruigrok, Hermanus Johannes, Chappe, Yann Loick, Canovi, Anne, Patrignoni, Lorenza, Hurtier, Annabelle, Poulletier de Gannes, Florence, Lagroye, Isabelle, Lévêque, Philippe, Lewis, Noëlle, Priault, Muriel, Arnaud-Cormos, Delia, Percherancier, Yann
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 08.01.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Arsenic Trioxide - pharmacology; Astrocytes - drug effects; Astrocytes - pathology; Autophagy - drug effects; Cell Line, Tumor; Culture Media, Serum-Free; Electric Impedance; Experiments; Holography; Humans; Life Sciences; Neuroblastoma; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - pathology; Radio Waves; Staining and Labeling; Telecommunications systems; Time Factors; Toxicity; rat cortex primary cells; autophagy; digital holographic microscopy; apoptosis; human cell lines; bioelectromagnetics; radiofrequency electromagnetic fields; impedancemetry; label-free techniques
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020658

It remains controversial whether exposure to environmental radiofrequency signals (RF) impacts cell status or response to cellular stress such as apoptosis or autophagy. We used two label-free techniques, cellular impedancemetry and Digital Holographic Microscopy (DHM), to assess the overall cellular response during RF exposure alone, or during co-exposure to RF and chemical treatments known to induce either apoptosis or autophagy. Two human cell lines (SH-SY5Y and HCT116) and two cultures of primary rat cortex cells (astrocytes and co-culture of neurons and glial cells) were exposed to RF using an 1800 MHz carrier wave modulated with various environmental signals (GSM: Global System for Mobile Communications, 2G signal), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, 3G signal), LTE (Long-Term Evolution, 4G signal, and Wi-Fi) or unmodulated RF (continuous wave, CW). The specific absorption rates (S.A.R.) used were 1.5 and 6 W/kg during DHM experiments and ranged from 5 to 24 W/kg during the recording of cellular impedance. Cells were continuously exposed for three to five consecutive days while the temporal phenotypic signature of cells behavior was recorded at constant temperature. Statistical analysis of the results does not indicate that RF-EMF exposure impacted the global behavior of healthy, apoptotic, or autophagic cells, even at S.A.R. levels higher than the guidelines, provided that the temperature was kept constant.