Far Infrared Ray Radiation Inhibits the Proliferation of A549, HSC3 and Sa3 Cancer Cells through Enhancing the Expression of ATF3 Gene

Far-infrared ray (FIR) is electromagnetic wave between 4 and 1000 μm. FIR causes heating, but how it affects cells is not well understood. In this study, we developed a culture incubator that can continuously irradiate cells with FIR and examined the effects of FIR on five human cancer cell lines, namely A431 (vulva), A549 (lung), HSC3 (tongue), MCF7 (breast) and Sa3 (gingiva). We found that FIR inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell hypertrophy without apoptosis in A549, HSC3 and Sa3 cells. Flow cytometry revealed that the inhibition of proliferation was due to G2/M arrest. Contrary, FIR did not inhibit cell proliferation and cause cell hypertrophy in A431 or MCF7 cells. Microarray analysis revealed that FIR suppressed the expression of cell proliferation-related and stress-responsive genes in FIR-sensitive cell lines (A549, HSC3 and Sa3). ATF3 in particular was identified as a key mediator of the FIR effect. Over-expression of ATF3 inhibited cell proliferation and knockdown of ATF3 mRNA using an antisense oligonucleotide suppressed FIR-induced growth arrest. These results indicate that a body temperature range of FIR radiation suppresses the proliferation of A549, HSC3, Sa3 cells and it appears that ATF3 play important roles in this effect.