We developed a tissue culture incubator that can continuously irradiate cells with far-infrared radiation (FIR) of wavelengths
between 4 and 20 μm with a peak of 7–12 μm, and found that FIR caused different inhibiting effects to five human cancer cell
lines, namely A431 (vulva), HSC3 (tongue), Sa3 (gingiva), A549 (lung), and MCF7 (breast). Then, in order to make clear the
control system for the effect of FIR, the gene expression concerned to the inhibition effect by FIR were analyzed. In consequence,
basal expression level of HSP70A mRNA was higher in A431 and MCF7 cells than in the FIR-sensitive HSC3, Sa3, and A549 cells.
Also, the over expression of
HSP70 inhibited FIR-induced growth arrest in HSC3 cells, and an HSP70 siRNA inhibited the proliferation of A431 cells by irradiation
with FIR. These results indicate that the effect of a body temperature range of FIR suppressing the proliferation of some
cancer cells is controlled by the basal expression level of heat shock protein (HSP) 70A. This finding suggested that FIR
should be very effective medical treatment for some cancer cells which have a low level of HSP70. Still more, if the level
of HSP70 in any cancer of a patient was measured, the effect of medical treatment by FIR can be foreseen for the cancer.
Keywords Far-infrared radiation (FIR) - CO2 incubator - Heat shock protein (HSP) 70 - Human cancer cell - Over expression - siRNA