Can Electromagnetic Fields Modulate Inflammation and Cell Death by Acting on the Immune System?

Abstract

Programmed cell death constitutes a fundamental part of the immune response to viral infection. This process forms part of the host defence mechanism and also enables establishment of biomarkers of disease severity. Natural or anthropogenic sources of microwaves emit energy and may alter the ecology of the SAR-CoV-2 virus (which causes COVID-19 disease) in the environment. Determining the associated effects on the immune system and on the health of hosts with COVID-19 disease is thus important. In this review paper, we consider studies analyzing the influence of electromagnetic fields on innate and acquired immune responses in humans, and above all on preclinical experimental animal models and in vitro models, and we also consider studies analyzing immunity acquired from COVID-19 infections associated with cell death. We focus on the effects of electromagnetic fields and the influence of oxidative stress on stimulation or immunomodulation, the inflammatory response, autoimmunity and the participation of intracellular calcium channels in the immunology of COVID-19 disease. Non-ionizing radiation can activate or reduce the inflammatory response, oxidative stress and the entry of intracellular calcium and can facilitate or reduce cell death. The review of experimental study findings indicates that exposure to non-ionizing radiation can also have a bidirectional effect on the immune system, either slowing down or enhancing the processes that lead to the cell death associated with COVID-19 disease.

Keywords

• Cell death
• COVID-19
• immune cells
• electromagnetic fields
• non-ionizing radiation