Gläser K et al. · 2016
Researchers irradiated human hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and HL-60 cells at GSM (900 MHz), UMTS (1,950 MHz), and LTE (2,535 MHz) frequencies, at intensities ranging from 0 to 4 W/kg SAR, for short and long exposure periods. Studied endpoints included apoptosis, oxidative stress, cell cycle, DNA damage, and DNA repair. In all but one endpoint, no clear effect of mobile phone radiation was detected; the only alteration was a small but statistically significant decrease in DNA damage in HSC exposed to GSM modulation for 4 hours.
Barthélémy A et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed rats to radiofrequency radiation for 15 minutes at different intensities and measured brain inflammation and memory function. They found that even low-level exposure (1.5 W/kg) caused significant brain inflammation, while higher exposure (6 W/kg) impaired long-term memory and increased inflammation in multiple brain regions. This study provides direct evidence that brief RF exposure can trigger brain inflammation and memory problems in living animals.
Wang X et al. · 2015
Researchers exposed Neuro-2a cells to 900 MHz GSM signals at specific absorption rates of 0, 0.5, 1, or 2 W/kg for 24 hours, with or without silencing of the DNA repair enzyme OGG1. Without OGG1 silencing, 2 W/kg RF-EMFs induced oxidative DNA base damage, and with OGG1 silencing, damage was observed at exposures as low as 1 W/kg. Increases in oxidative DNA base damage were accompanied by similar increases in reactive oxygen species, but neither DNA strand breakage nor altered cell viability was observed.
Lerchl A et al. · 2015
Exposed animals had significantly more lung and liver tumors than sham-exposed controls. Lymphomas were also significantly elevated in exposed animals. No clear dose-response effect was observed.
Ahlers MT, Ammermüller J · 2013
Researchers studied possible non-thermal effects of RF-EMF on retinal ganglion cells in vitro under constant temperature. Mouse retinae were exposed to GSM-900, GSM-1800, and UMTS at SARs of 0, 0.02, 0.2, 2, and 20 W/kg with temperature controlled within ±0.5 to 1°C. Light responses were recorded before, during, and up to 35 minutes after exposure under double-blind conditions. Comparison of sham and actual exposure distance values showed no significant differences, and regression analysis found no consistent SAR dependence. The authors concluded no acute effects on retinal ganglion cell responses at SARs up to 20 W/kg.
Aït-Aïssa S et al. · 2013
Researchers investigated bioeffects of WiFi signals on developing nervous systems of young rodents by assessing expression levels of 3-Nitrotyrosine, Hsp25, and Hsp70. Daily 2-hour exposures were performed blind in a reverberation chamber at whole-body specific absorption rates of 0, 0.08, 0.4, and 4 W/kg. No significant difference was observed among exposed and sham-exposed groups. The results suggest repeated WiFi exposure during gestation and early life has no deleterious effects on young rat brains.
Aït-Aïssa S et al. · 2013
French researchers exposed pregnant rats and their offspring to WiFi signals (2.4 GHz) from pregnancy through 5 weeks after birth, then examined their brains for signs of cellular stress and damage. They found no differences in stress markers between WiFi-exposed and unexposed rat pups, even at exposure levels up to 4 W/kg. The study suggests that WiFi exposure during critical developmental periods may not cause detectable brain damage in young rats.
Aït-Aïssa S et al. · 2012
Pregnant rats were exposed to a 2.45 GHz Wi-Fi signal for 2 hours per day, 5 days per week, at whole-body SAR levels of 0, 0.08, 0.4, and 4 W/kg. Dams were exposed from days 6 to 21 of gestation, and then three newborns per litter were further exposed from birth to day 35 postnatal. Sera from pups were screened for antibodies against 15 different antigens using ELISA, and no change in humoral response was observed regardless of the types of biomarker and SAR levels. The researchers' observations suggested a lack of adverse effects of Wi-Fi exposure on delivery and general condition of the animals.
Prochnow N et al. · 2011
Researchers exposed rats to UMTS cell phone signals at different power levels to study effects on memory formation in the brain. They found no impact on memory-related brain activity at 2 W/kg (similar to phone use), but significant disruption at 10 W/kg (five times higher than typical exposure). The study suggests current cell phone radiation levels may not harm memory processes, but much higher exposures could be problematic.
de Gannes FP et al. · 2009
Researchers exposed rats to cell phone radiation (GSM-900) for 2 hours and checked for brain damage 14 and 50 days later. They found no evidence of blood-brain barrier leakage or neuronal death at exposure levels ranging from very low to high. This study directly contradicted earlier research that claimed similar exposures caused significant brain damage.
Jia F, Ushiyama A, Masuda H, Lawlor GF, Ohkubo C. · 2007
Researchers measured local temperature changes in rabbit pinnae during 20-minute RF exposures at SAR levels of 0, 2.3, 10.0, and 34.3 W/kg under normal blood flow and without blood flow. Blood flow significantly suppressed temperature increases even at 34.3 W/kg, while 2.3 and 10.0 W/kg did not induce significant temperature rises under normal blood flow conditions. However, 2.3 W/kg induced local skin temperature elevation when blood flow was absent. The authors concluded that physiological blood flow effects should be considered when extrapolating modeling data to living animals.
Chauhan V et al. · 2007
Researchers exposed human-derived cell lines TK6, HL60, and Mono-Mac-6 to intermittent 1.9 GHz pulse-modulated RF fields for 6 hours at SARs of 0, 1, and 10 W/kg. Cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle kinetics were measured immediately after exposure and 18 hours later. Cytokine expression (TNFA, IL1B, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL12) was also assessed. No detectable changes in cell viability, cell cycle kinetics, apoptosis, or cytokine expression were observed in any exposed group compared to sham controls. The positive heat-shock control showed decreased viability, increased apoptosis, and a G(2)/M cell cycle block.
Yu D, Shen Y, Kuster N, Fu Y, Chiang H. · 2006
No significant differences in overall mammary tumor incidence, latency, multiplicity, or size were observed between microwave-exposed and sham-exposed groups. A tendency for reduced adenocarcinoma incidence at 0.44 W/kg and increased incidence at 4.0 W/kg did not reach statistical significance. Cage control rats had higher body weight, higher tumor incidence, and shorter tumor latency than sham- and microwave-exposed groups.
Sun LX, Yao K, He JL, Lu DQ, Wang KJ, Li HW. · 2006
Researchers exposed human eye lens cells to cell phone radiation for 2 hours at different power levels to see if it damages DNA. They found that lower exposure levels (up to 3 W/kg) caused temporary DNA breaks that the cells could repair, but higher exposure (4 W/kg) caused permanent DNA damage that cells couldn't fix.
Kuribayashi M et al. · 2005
Researchers investigated possible effects of 1439 MHz electromagnetic near field exposure on the blood-brain barrier in immature (4 weeks old) and young (10 weeks old) rats. Expression of the three genes was not pathologically changed by EMF at any exposure level or age, and vascular permeability measured with FITC-dextran FD20 was not affected. The findings suggest that local head exposure to 1439 MHz EMF exerts no adverse effects on the BBB in immature and young rats.
Ebert S et al. · 2005
This study determined the thermal regulatory and thermal breakdown thresholds for in-tube restrained B6C3F1 and NMRI mice exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields at 905 MHz. The thermal regulatory threshold of the restrained mice was found at SAR levels between 2 W kg(-1) and 5 W kg(-1). The breakdown of regulation was determined at 10.1 +/- 4.0 W kg(-1) for B6C3F1 mice and 7.7 +/- 1.6 W kg(-1) for NMRI mice. NMRI mice were more sensitive to thermal stress and responded at lower SAR values with regulation and breakdown.
Gorlitz BD et al. · 2005
McNamee et al. · 2003
Researchers exposed human white blood cells to 1.9 GHz radiofrequency radiation (similar to what cell phones emit) for 24 hours at power levels up to 10 watts per kilogram. They found no DNA damage or genetic changes in the cells, even after this extended exposure period at levels much higher than typical phone use.
McNamee et al. · 2003
Researchers examined the effect of 24-hour continuous-wave and pulsed-wave 1.9 GHz radiofrequency fields on primary DNA damage and micronucleus induction in human leukocyte cultures. No significant differences in primary DNA damage were observed between sham controls and any exposed cultures when assessed by the alkaline comet assay immediately after exposure. Similarly, no significant differences were found in micronucleus incidence, micronucleated binucleated cells, binucleated cell frequency, or proliferation index between sham and exposed cultures.
McNamee JP et al. · 2002
Canadian researchers exposed human white blood cells to 1.9 GHz radiofrequency radiation (similar to cell phone frequencies) for 2 hours at various power levels up to 10 W/kg. They found no DNA damage in the cells compared to unexposed controls, using two different laboratory tests to detect genetic harm. This study suggests that short-term RF exposure at these levels does not cause immediate DNA breaks in immune cells.
McNamee JP et al. · 2002
Human blood cultures were exposed to a 1.9 GHz continuous-wave radiofrequency field for 2 hours at SARs of 0.0, 0.1, 0.26, 0.92, 2.4, and 10 W/kg while temperature was maintained at 37.0 ± 0.5°C. DNA damage was measured immediately after exposure using the alkaline comet assay with four parameters, and micronucleus formation was assessed using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. No evidence of increased primary DNA damage was detected at any SAR tested. There was no significant difference in micronucleus incidence between exposed cultures and sham controls at any SAR.
McNamee JP et al. · 2002
Blood cultures from human volunteers were exposed to an acute 1.9 GHz pulse-modulated radiofrequency (RF) field for 2 h using a series of six circularly polarized, cylindrical waveguides. Mean specific absorption rates (SARs) ranged from 0 to 10 W/kg and the temperature within the cultures during the exposure was maintained at 37.0 ± 0.5°C. DNA damage was quantified in leukocytes by the alkaline comet assay and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. No evidence of increased primary DNA damage was detected by the comet assay and no significant differences in micronucleus frequency were found at any SAR tested.
Maes A, Collier M, Verschaeve L · 2001
Researchers investigated cytogenetic effects of 900 MHz radiofrequency fields using chromosome aberration and sister chromatid exchange frequency methods. They studied three exposure modes (continuous, pseudo-random, dummy burst) at power outputs from 0 to 50 W. Specific absorption rates ranged from 0 to 10 W/kg. The study examined effects of radiation alone and combined with mitomycin C and X-rays. Overall, no mutagenic or co-mutagenic effect was found.
Lu ST et al. · 2000
Researchers studied retinal effects of 1.25 GHz high peak power microwaves in Rhesus monkeys. Preexposure and postexposure fundus pictures and angiograms were all within normal limits. Cone photoreceptor response to light flash was enhanced at 8.4 and 20.2 W/kg R-SAR but not at 4.3 W/kg R-SAR. Enhanced glycogen storage in photoreceptors was observed in sham, 8.4, and 20.2 W/kg groups but not in the 4.3 W/kg group. No degenerative changes or ERG depression were observed, and retinal injury was considered very unlikely at 4 W/kg.
Adair ER, Adams BW, Hartman SK · 1992
Researchers exposed adult male squirrel monkeys to 450-MHz or 2,450-MHz continuous-wave fields in cool environments to study how the body responds to radio-frequency heating. During brief exposures in the cold, the reduction of metabolic heat production was directly proportional to the SAR, and 2,450-MHz energy was a more efficient stimulus than the resonant frequency. In the steady state, exposure at the resonant frequency produced a regulated increase in deep body temperature, described as not unlike that which occurs during exercise. Researchers concluded that skin temperature changes are the primary source of the neural signal for a change in physiological interaction processes during radio-frequency exposure in the cold.
