State of knowledge on biological effects at 40–60 GHz

Millimetre waves correspond to the range of frequencies located between 30 and 300 GHz. Many applications exist and are emerging in this band, including wireless telecommunications, imaging and monitoring systems. In addition, some of these frequencies are used in therapy in Eastern Europe, suggesting that interactions with the human body are possible. This review aims to summarise current knowledge on interactions between millimetre waves and living matter. Several representative examples from the scientific literature are presented. Then, possible mechanisms of interactions between millimetre waves and biological systems are discussed.

[1]  N. Chemeris,et al.  Features of anti‐inflammatory effects of modulated extremely high‐frequency electromagnetic radiation , 2009, Bioelectromagnetics.

[2]  E. Perrotta,et al.  Antiproliferative effect of millimeter radiation on human erythromyeloid leukemia cell line K562 in culture: ultrastructural- and metabolic-induced changes. , 2007, Bioelectrochemistry.

[3]  Laurent Le Coq,et al.  Wearable Endfire Textile Antenna for On-Body Communications at 60 GHz , 2012, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters.

[4]  Ronan Sauleau,et al.  Millimeter-wave interactions with the human body: state of knowledge and recent advances , 2011, International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies.

[5]  Guangwen Wu,et al.  Millimeter wave radiation induces apoptosis via affecting the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 in SW1353 human chondrosarcoma cells. , 2011, Oncology reports.

[6]  A Cowan,et al.  Hypoalgesic effect of millimeter waves in mice: dependence on the site of exposure. , 2000, Life sciences.

[7]  M C Ziskin,et al.  Reactions of keratinocytes to in vitro millimeter wave exposure , 2001, Bioelectromagnetics.

[8]  A Cowan,et al.  Pain relief caused by millimeter waves in mice: results of cold water tail flick tests. , 2000, International journal of radiation biology.

[9]  L. Le Coq,et al.  Interactions between 60-GHz millimeter waves and artificial biological membranes: dependence on radiation parameters , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[10]  Marvin C Ziskin,et al.  Low power millimeter wave irradiation exerts no harmful effect on human keratinocytes in vitro , 2003, Bioelectromagnetics.

[11]  Ronan Sauleau,et al.  Near‐field dosimetry for in vitro exposure of human cells at 60 GHz , 2012, Bioelectromagnetics.

[12]  Marvin C Ziskin,et al.  Effect of millimeter waves and cyclophosphamide on cytokine regulation , 2012, Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology.

[13]  Peter H. Siegel,et al.  Impact of low intensity millimetre waves on cell functions , 2010 .

[14]  Vasily V Vorobyov,et al.  Hypothalamic effects of millimeter wave irradiation depend on location of exposed acupuncture zones in unanesthetized rabbits. , 2002, The American journal of Chinese medicine.

[15]  Amerigo Beneduci,et al.  Frequency and irradiation time-dependant antiproliferative effect of low-power millimeter waves on RPMI 7932 human melanoma cell line. , 2005, Anticancer research.

[16]  Pasquale Stano,et al.  Permeability changes induced by 130 GHz pulsed radiation on cationic liposomes loaded with carbonic anhydrase , 2007, Bioelectromagnetics.

[17]  Guangwen Wu,et al.  Millimeter wave treatment inhibits NO-induced apoptosis of chondrocytes through the p38MAPK pathway. , 2010, International journal of molecular medicine.

[18]  Kavindra Kumar Kesari,et al.  Microwave Exposure Affecting Reproductive System in Male Rats , 2010, Applied biochemistry and biotechnology.

[19]  Amerigo Beneduci,et al.  Transmission electron microscopy study of the effects produced by wide-band low-power millimeter waves on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in culture. , 2005, Anticancer research.

[20]  M C Ziskin,et al.  Effect of millimeter waves on natural killer cell activation , 2005, Bioelectromagnetics.

[21]  T. Usichenko,et al.  Low-Intensity Electromagnetic Millimeter Waves for Pain Therapy , 2006, Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM.

[22]  Ronan Sauleau,et al.  Study of narrow band millimeter‐wave potential interactions with endoplasmic reticulum stress sensor genes , 2009, Bioelectromagnetics.

[23]  M Zhadobov,et al.  Low‐power millimeter wave radiations do not alter stress‐sensitive gene expression of chaperone proteins , 2007, Bioelectromagnetics.

[24]  M C Ziskin,et al.  Effect of cyclophosphamide and 61.22 GHz millimeter waves on T‐cell, B‐cell, and macrophage functions , 2006, Bioelectromagnetics.

[25]  Marvin C Ziskin,et al.  Millimeter wave induced reversible externalization of phosphatidylserine molecules in cells exposed in vitro , 2006, Bioelectromagnetics.

[26]  Ronan Sauleau,et al.  Absence of direct effect of low-power millimeter-wave radiation at 60.4 GHz on endoplasmic reticulum stress , 2009, Cell Biology and Toxicology.

[27]  Guangwen Wu,et al.  Millimeter wave treatment promotes chondrocyte proliferation by upregulating the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and cyclin A. , 2010, International journal of molecular medicine.

[28]  Lu Xia,et al.  The effect of different treatment time of millimeter wave on chondrocyte apoptosis, caspase-3, caspase-8, and MMP-13 expression in rabbit surgically induced model of knee osteoarthritis , 2012, Rheumatology International.

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[30]  N. Chemeris,et al.  Pharmacological analysis of the antiinflammatory effects of low-intensity extremely-high-frequency electromagnetic radiation , 2006, Biofizika.

[31]  A Cowan,et al.  Electromagnetic millimeter wave induced hypoalgesia: Frequency dependence and involvement of endogenous opioids , 2008, Bioelectromagnetics.

[32]  Xianghong Arakaki,et al.  Modulation of neuronal activity and plasma membrane properties with low-power millimeter waves in organotypic cortical slices , 2010, Journal of neural engineering.

[33]  N. Chemeris,et al.  Anti‐inflammatory effects of low‐intensity extremely high‐frequency electromagnetic radiation: Frequency and power dependence , 2008, Bioelectromagnetics.

[34]  M. Ziskin,et al.  Effect of millimeter waves on cyclophosphamide induced suppression of T cell functions , 2003, Bioelectromagnetics.

[35]  P. A. Mason,et al.  Gene Expression Changes in the Skin of Rats Induced by Prolonged 35 GHz Millimeter-Wave Exposure , 2008, Radiation research.

[36]  P. A. Mason,et al.  Protein changes in macrophages induced by plasma from rats exposed to 35 GHz millimeter waves , 2010, Bioelectromagnetics.

[37]  Zuanfang Li,et al.  Millimeter wave treatment promotes chondrocyte proliferation via G1/S cell cycle transition. , 2012, International journal of molecular medicine.

[38]  Laurent Le Coq,et al.  Characterization of the Interactions Between a 60-GHz Antenna and the Human Body in an Off-Body Scenario , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[39]  Taras I Usichenko,et al.  Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with electromagnetic millimeter waves applied to acupuncture points--a randomized double blind clinical study. , 2003, Acupuncture & electro-therapeutics research.

[40]  M. Zhadobov,et al.  Whole‐genome expression analysis in primary human keratinocyte cell cultures exposed to 60 GHz radiation , 2012, Bioelectromagnetics.

[41]  N. Chemeris,et al.  Effects of Low-Intensity Ultrahigh Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation on Inflammatory Processes , 2004, Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine.

[42]  Youqin Chen,et al.  Millimeter wave treatment inhibits the mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis pathway in chondrocytes. , 2011, Molecular medicine reports.

[43]  Thomas J. Prihoda,et al.  Micronuclei in Peripheral Blood and Bone Marrow Cells of Mice Exposed to 42 GHz Electromagnetic Millimeter Waves , 2004, Radiation research.

[44]  T. Walters,et al.  Heating and pain sensation produced in human skin by millimeter waves: comparison to a simple thermal model. , 2000, Health physics.

[45]  Luciano Tarricone,et al.  The response of giant phospholipid vesicles to millimeter waves radiation. , 2009, Biochimica et biophysica acta.

[46]  A. Perrin,et al.  Effets biologiques des rayonnements millimétriques (94 GHz). Quelles conséquences à long terme , 2007 .

[47]  Guang-wen Wu,et al.  Experimental study of millimeter wave-induced differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes. , 2009, International journal of molecular medicine.

[48]  Lysenyuk Vp,et al.  Experimental study on the low-intensity millimeter-wave electro-magnetic stimulation of acupuncture points. , 2000 .

[49]  Y. Akyel,et al.  Current state and implications of research on biological effects of millimeter waves: a review of the literature. , 1998, Bioelectromagnetics.

[50]  Ziskin Mc,et al.  Electromagnetic millimeter waves increase the duration of anaesthesia caused by ketamine and chloral hydrate in mice , 1997 .

[51]  Marvin C Ziskin,et al.  Effect of millimeter wave irradiation on tumor metastasis , 2006, Bioelectromagnetics.

[52]  M C Ziskin,et al.  Medical application of millimetre waves. , 1998, QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians.

[53]  A. Beneduci.  Evaluation of the Potential In Vitro Antiproliferative Effects of Millimeter Waves at Some Therapeutic Frequencies on RPMI 7932 Human Skin Malignant Melanoma Cells , 2009, Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics.

[54]  Robert W Heath,et al.  60 GHz Wireless: Up Close and Personal , 2010, IEEE Microwave Magazine.

[55]  Marvin C Ziskin,et al.  Millimeter wave effects on electrical responses of the sural nerve in vivo. , 2010, Bioelectromagnetics.

[56]  A Cowan,et al.  Peripheral neural system involvement in hypoalgesic effect of electromagnetic millimeter waves. , 2001, Life sciences.

[57]  M C Ziskin,et al.  Millimeter wave‐induced suppression of B16 F10 melanoma growth in mice: Involvement of endogenous opioids , 2004, Bioelectromagnetics.