Exposure to radiation from single or combined radio frequencies provokes macrophage dysfunction in the RAW 264.7 cell line.
López-Furelos A, Salas-Sánchez AA, Ares-Pena FJ, Leiro-Vidal JM, López-Martín E. · 2018
View Original AbstractRF radiation at cell phone frequencies impaired immune cell function, with combined exposures causing greater damage than single frequencies.
Plain English Summary
Spanish researchers exposed immune cells (macrophages) to radio frequency radiation at cell phone frequencies (900 MHz and 2450 MHz) for up to 72 hours. They found that the radiation significantly impaired the cells' ability to fight infections and triggered inflammatory responses, with combined frequencies causing more damage than single frequencies. This suggests that everyday exposure to multiple wireless signals simultaneously may compromise immune function.
Why This Matters
This study provides important evidence that radio frequency radiation at the frequencies used by cell phones and WiFi can compromise immune function at the cellular level. The researchers found that macrophages - critical immune cells responsible for engulfing and destroying pathogens - became less effective at their job when exposed to RF radiation. What makes this research particularly relevant is that it examined combined RF exposures, which better reflects our real-world environment where we're simultaneously exposed to cell phone signals, WiFi, Bluetooth, and other wireless technologies. The fact that combined frequencies produced stronger effects than single frequencies suggests our current safety standards, which only test individual frequencies, may be inadequate. The science demonstrates that even our immune system's first line of defense can be disrupted by the very technologies we use daily.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900 and 2450 MHz Duration: 4, 24, 48, or 72 h
Study Details
The aim of this study was to determine whether exposure to radiation from single or multiple radio-frequency (RF) signals at 900 and 2450 MHz would induce effects in the RAW 264.7 cell line
Cell cultures were exposed to single or combined RF for 4, 24, 48, or 72 h in a GTEM electromagnetic...
NO production increased after 48 h exposure at 2450 MHz, compared with controls. The group subjected...
Our results indicated a decrease in phagocytic activity and an increase in inflammatory, cytoprotective, and cytotoxic responses in macrophages after continuous and combined exposure of multiple RF signals. Multiple RF interact in everyday life, the immune response in humans is unknown.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_2018_exposure_to_radiation_from_1667,
author = {López-Furelos A and Salas-Sánchez AA and Ares-Pena FJ and Leiro-Vidal JM and López-Martín E.},
title = {Exposure to radiation from single or combined radio frequencies provokes macrophage dysfunction in the RAW 264.7 cell line.},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1080/09553002.2018.1465610},
url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09553002.2018.1465610},
}