Elimination of microwave effects on the vitality of nerves after blockage of active transport.

We have previously reported that exposure to microwave fields (a specific absorption rate of 10 W/kg at 2.45-GHz continuous wave) would consistently lower the survival time of isolated frog sciatic nerves stimulated at high repetition rates (50 pulse pairs per second, ppps). The time course of the loss of excitability of the exposed nerve (as compared to its unexposed contralateral mate) is reminiscent of that seen when the active transport of sodium (Na) and potassium (K) is blocked by certain agents--such as the cardiac glycoside ouabain. To assess the role that these microwaves may have in interfering with or counteracting active transport, we performed a series of experiments in which the active Na-K pump was substantially blocked by ouabain prior to microwave exposure. The paired nerves were soaked for 5 min in a high concentration (10(-3) g/liter) of ouabain to achieve the fastest and most complete blockage of the Na-K pump prior to stimulation at 50 ppps. The "rundown time course" was, as expected, accelerated in all ouabain-treated nerves, but the microwave-exposed nerves showed no additional shortening of survival time. The experiments were repeated at a slower stimulation rate (5 ppps) so that the survival time of the nerves more closely approximated that of nerves not treated with ouabain (1 to 2 h versus 30 min or less for ouabain-treated nerves stimulated at 50 ppps). Results of these lower stimulation rates also showed that there was no significant difference in the survival time of ouabain-treated exposed and control nerves. These results lend support to the view that the relative loss of excitability in microwave-exposed nerves is related to an interference with or counteraction of the Na-K pump.