ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the difference in stress and apoptosis related genes transcription between hTERT-RPE1 cells exposed to simulated microwave radiation and the cells with heat water bath, and the effects of microwave on gene transcription in cultured human retina pigment epithelial cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>cDNA microarray technique was used to detect the mRNA isolated from hTERT-RPE1 cells exposed to 2 450 MHz simulated microwave radiation and with heat water bath, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 97 related aim genes, there were seven genes up-regulating its transcription, i.e., M31166 (2.52fold), L24123 (2.66fold), AF039704 (2.22fold), U67156 (2.07fold), AF040958 (2.13fold), NM-001423 (2.63fold) and NM-005346 (3.68fold). But, no notably down-regulating gene in transcription was detected.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Microwave could induce up-regulating in multiple stress and apoptosis related genes transcription in cultured human retina pigment epithelial cells, hTERT-RPE1 cells. Microwave radiation has unique effect itself in addition to its heat effect.</p>