Microwave and ELF electromagnetic field effects on intercellular communication

Abstract

Gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) plays an essential role in regulation of cell growth, differentiation and wound healing. Microwave irradiation may down-regulate GJIC and the effect is strongly influenced by modulation frequency. Many studies have demonstrated that GJIC could be suppressed by ELF magnetic field (MF) and the suppression is related to the intensity of magnetic flux density and the exposure duration. Pulse MF is more effective than sinusoidal MF in inhibiting GJIC. Inhibiting GJIC by electromagnetic field in some cases could be beneficial or detrimental. The mechanism of GJIC inhibition induced by ELF MF has also been studied and found that the inhibition may be mainly due to hyperphosphorylation of gap junctional connexins by PKC rather than its transcriptional or translational disregulation.