Protective effect of quasi-monochromatic red light from oxidative action of microwave radiation

Abstract

The World Health Organization officially recognized the electromagnetic emission of radio frequency range as a possible human carcinogen. Certain epidemiological studies have shown an increased risk of brain tumors, acoustic neuroma, changes in the hormonal status and psychophysical factors in persons under long-term exposure to electromagnetic radiation of the radiofrequency range. At the same time, a lack of clear understanding of the molecular mechanisms of effects of electromagnetic radiation was one of the blocks on the way of widespread acceptance of this phenomenon.

Previously we showed that the monochromatic red light of the helium-neon laser as well as the red radiation of light emitted diodes (LED) under certain conditions manifest a pronounced antioxidant effect on the poultry bird embryos. In this study, we carried out an experimental evaluation of the use of red light of LED to protect cells against the negative effects of the GSM electromagnetic radiation standard (900 MHz frequency).

Materials and methods. Japanese quail embryos are used in the work. To carry out an experiment, three groups of 8-10 fresh hatching eggs were formed which were incubated in ovo. The first group served as untreated control, the second one was exposed to microwave radiation (MWR) of 900 MHz GSM standard. The eggs of the third group were irradiated by DHFW radiation and additionally by MWR quasi-monochromatic red light. 3G USB dongle Huawei E173 and Nokia 3120 commercial model of the mobile telephone were used as a MWR source. They were activated by the computer program of automatic redial in the mode 48 sec ‘on’, 12 sec ‒ ‘off’. In the ‘on’ state, the system emitted the 900 MHz GSM standard MWR with a power density of 14 mW/cm2 in the area of biological object (eggs) location. A LED matrix (20 L7113 PDC/H LEDs, wavelength 630-650 nm) was used as a source of quasi-monochromatic red radiation. In the biological object location area it provided a light power with density of 0.1 mW/cm2. The quail embryos of the second group were irradiated in ovo with the 900MHz GSM standard MWR for 120 hours, and 38 hours of incubation during the first two days of incubation. Embryos of the third group were irradiated with MWR in the same mode for further 180 seconds (3×60), namely with quasi-monochromatic red light during incubation.

The eggs of the two experimental and control groups were incubated under the same standard conditions with screening one group from another by metal foil. The embryonic development was stopped after 38 hours of incubation and its level was microscopically evaluated by the number of pairs of differentiated somites, as well as on indicators of prooxidant-antioxidant balance in embryonic cells.

Results of studies and their discussion. Irradiation of embryos with the 900 MHz GSM standard MWR caused slight but statistically significant inhibition of somitogenesis that was expressed in reducing the amount of differentiated somite pairs by 11.2% (P <0.05) as compared with the control. At the same time, additional radiation of embryos with quasi-monochromatic red light led to the restoration of somitogenesis intensity up to the level of the control.

The MWR caused an expressed oxidative stress in embryonic cells. In particular, the level of TBA (thiobarbituric acid)-reactive peroxide lipid compounds in the cells of embryos of the group II was higher by 37.5% (P <0.05) in comparison with the control. Furthermore, the activity of SOD (superoxide dismutase), and in particular catalase, in embryo cells, irradiated with the MWR was significantly reduced as compared to the control: SOD – by 17.3%, catalase – by 78.6% (Р<0,01).

Conclusions. The data obtained confirm the expressed oxidative effects of low-intensive electromagnetic radiation of the 900 MHz GSM standard on embryonic cells in vivo conditions and on the activity of antioxidant enzyme under in vitro conditions. In addition, demonstrated is a pronounced normalizing effect of the quasi-monochromatic red LED light on the early development of poultry bird embryos and the state of prooxidant-antioxidant balance in embryonic cells, which allows us to consider this factor as a potential means of effective risk reduction of excessive irradiation of living systems by the MWR of the modern wireless communication systems.