RKIP Regulates Neural Cell Apoptosis Induced by Exposure to Microwave Radiation Partly Through the MEK/ERK/CREB Pathway.

PAPER pubmed Molecular neurobiology 2015 In vitro study Effect: harm Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1007/s12035-014-8831-5 PMID: 25108669 Evidence Lab

Abstract

In the present study, we investigated whether Raf-1 kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP) is important for neural cell apoptosis induced by microwave exposure and explored the role of MEK/ERK/CREB pathway regulated by RKIP in the apoptosis. Differentiated PC12 cells were exposed to continuous microwave radiation at 2.856 GHz for 5 min with average power density of 30 mW/cm(2). RKIP sense and anti-sense recombinant plasmids were constructed and transfected into PC12 cells, respectively. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining and caspase-3 activity assay were used to detect cell apoptosis. The results showed that RKIP was downregulated after microwave exposure while the MEK/ERK/CREB signaling pathway was activated excessively. Moreover, the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax decreased, activity of caspase-3 increased, and thus apoptotic DNA fragmentation increased. RKIP overexpression significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of MEK, ERK, and CREB, while RKIP downregulation had the reverse effect. Furthermore, U0126 was found to antagonize the changes caused by RKIP downregulation after exposure to radiation. In conclusion, RKIP plays an important role in the neural cell apoptosis induced by microwave radiation, and the regulation of cell apoptosis by RKIP is partly through the MEK/ERK/CREB pathway. This suggests that RKIP may act as a key regulator of neuronal damage caused by microwave radiation.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

In vitro study

Effect direction

harm

Population

Differentiated PC12 cells

Sample size

—

Exposure

microwave · 2856 MHz · 5 min

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 78% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

Differentiated PC12 cells exposed to continuous 2.856 GHz microwave radiation (30 mW/cm^2 for 5 min) showed RKIP downregulation, excessive activation of the MEK/ERK/CREB pathway, decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio, increased caspase-3 activity, and increased apoptotic DNA fragmentation. RKIP overexpression inhibited MEK/ERK/CREB phosphorylation, while RKIP downregulation had the opposite effect; U0126 antagonized changes caused by RKIP downregulation after radiation exposure.

Outcomes measured

Neural cell apoptosis (TUNEL staining)
Caspase-3 activity
RKIP expression (downregulation)
MEK/ERK/CREB pathway activation/phosphorylation
Bcl-2/Bax ratio
Apoptotic DNA fragmentation

Limitations

In vitro cell model (PC12 cells); generalizability to humans not addressed in abstract
Exposure metric reported as power density; SAR not provided
Sample size and replication details not provided in abstract
Single frequency and short exposure duration (5 min)

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "in_vitro",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "microwave",
        "source": null,
        "frequency_mhz": 2856,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "5 min"
    },
    "population": "Differentiated PC12 cells",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Neural cell apoptosis (TUNEL staining)",
        "Caspase-3 activity",
        "RKIP expression (downregulation)",
        "MEK/ERK/CREB pathway activation/phosphorylation",
        "Bcl-2/Bax ratio",
        "Apoptotic DNA fragmentation"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Differentiated PC12 cells exposed to continuous 2.856 GHz microwave radiation (30 mW/cm^2 for 5 min) showed RKIP downregulation, excessive activation of the MEK/ERK/CREB pathway, decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio, increased caspase-3 activity, and increased apoptotic DNA fragmentation. RKIP overexpression inhibited MEK/ERK/CREB phosphorylation, while RKIP downregulation had the opposite effect; U0126 antagonized changes caused by RKIP downregulation after radiation exposure.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "In vitro cell model (PC12 cells); generalizability to humans not addressed in abstract",
        "Exposure metric reported as power density; SAR not provided",
        "Sample size and replication details not provided in abstract",
        "Single frequency and short exposure duration (5 min)"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "microwave radiation",
        "2.856 GHz",
        "PC12 cells",
        "apoptosis",
        "RKIP",
        "MEK",
        "ERK",
        "CREB",
        "caspase-3",
        "Bcl-2/Bax",
        "U0126"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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