TP53 tumor suppressor protein in normal human fibroblasts does not respondto 837 MHz microwave exposure

The TP53 tumor suppressor protein (formerly known as p53) responds to a wid e variety of environmental insults. Td evaluate the safety of cellular tele phones, TP53 responses in human fibroblast cells were studied after exposur e to 837 MHz microwaves, Cells were exposed in a temperature-controlled tra nsverse electromagnetic (TEM) chamber to a specific absorption rate (SAR) o f 0.9 or 9.0 W/kg at 837 MHz continuous-wave (CW) microwave irradiation for 2 h. The TP53 protein levels were measured by Western blot at 2, 8, 24 and 48 h after treatment. The TP53 protein levels in microwave-treated cells,s ham-treated cells, and untreated cells remained unchanged relative to each other at all times tested (Fisher test and Student-Newman-Keuls test, P > 0 .05). No morphological alterations were observed in microwave-treated. cell s compared to sham-treated cells. We conclude that TP53 protein expression levels in cultured human fibroblast cells do not change significantly durin g a 48-h period after exposure to 837 MHz continuous microwaves for 2 h at SAR levels of 0.9 or 9.0 W/kg. (C) 1999 by Radiation Research Society.