6,486 Studies Reviewed. 85.2% of Original Studies Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Brain & Nervous System

Brain proteome response following whole body exposure of mice to mobile phone or wireless DECT base radiation

Bioeffects Seen

Fragopoulou AF, Samara A, Antonelou MH, Xanthopoulou A, Papadopoulou A, Vougas K, Koutsogiannopoulou E, Anastasiadou E, Stravopodis DJ, Tsangaris GT, Margaritis LH · 2012

View Original Abstract
Share:

Long-term whole-body exposure of mice to mobile phone or DECT base radiation significantly altered the expression of 143 brain proteins.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers investigated the effects of two sources of electromagnetic fields on the proteome of the cerebellum, hippocampus, and frontal lobe in Balb/c mice following long-term whole body irradiation. Across both exposure types, 143 proteins showed significantly altered expression, ranging from as low as 0.003 fold downregulation up to 114 fold overexpression. The altered proteins included neural function related proteins, heat shock proteins, cytoskeletal proteins, and proteins of brain metabolism across nearly all brain regions studied.

Why This Matters

Three equally divided groups of six mice each were used: one exposed to a mobile phone, one to a DECT base, and one sham-exposed control group. The mobile phone group was exposed at a SAR level range of 0.17-0.37 W/kg for 3 hours daily for 8 months. The DECT base group was exposed at a SAR level range of 0.012-0.028 W/kg for 8 hours per day, also for 8 months. Western blot analysis on selected proteins confirmed the proteomics data. The researchers suggested the observed protein expression changes may be related to brain plasticity alterations, indicative of oxidative stress in the nervous system or involved in apoptosis.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.17 to 0.37 W/kg
Electric Field
15 and 22 V/m
Source/Device
900 MHz Mobile phone
Exposure Duration
3 h daily for 8 months

Exposure Context

This study used 15 and 22 V/m for electric fields:

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.17 to 0.37 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 9 times higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 900 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 900 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of two sources of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on the proteome of cerebellum, hippocampus, and frontal lobe in Balb/c mice following long-term whole body irradiation.

Three equally divided groups of animals (6 animals/group) were used; the first group was exposed to ...

Comparative proteomics analysis revealed that long-term irradiation from both EMF sources altered si...

Cite This Study
Fragopoulou AF, Samara A, Antonelou MH, Xanthopoulou A, Papadopoulou A, Vougas K, Koutsogiannopoulou E, Anastasiadou E, Stravopodis DJ, Tsangaris GT, Margaritis LH (2012). Brain proteome response following whole body exposure of mice to mobile phone or wireless DECT base radiation Electromagn Biol Med. 31(4):250-274, 2012.
Show BibTeX
@article{af_2012_brain_proteome_response_following_100,
  author = {Fragopoulou AF and Samara A and Antonelou MH and Xanthopoulou A and Papadopoulou A and Vougas K and Koutsogiannopoulou E and Anastasiadou E and Stravopodis DJ and Tsangaris GT and Margaritis LH},
  title = {Brain proteome response following whole body exposure of mice to mobile phone or wireless DECT base radiation},
  year = {2012},
  doi = {10.3109/15368378.2011.631068},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/15368378.2011.631068},
}
DOI: 10.3109/15368378.2011.631068

Cited By (78 papers)

View all 78 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers analyzed proteins in the cerebellum, hippocampus, and frontal lobe of exposed mice.
Long-term irradiation from both EMF sources significantly altered the expression of 143 proteins in total.
Affected proteins included neural function related proteins such as GFAP and Alpha-synuclein, heat shock proteins, cytoskeletal proteins such as Neurofilaments and tropomodulin, and brain metabolism proteins.
The researchers suggested the changes may be related to brain plasticity alterations, indicative of oxidative stress in the nervous system or involved in apoptosis.
The mobile phone group was exposed at a SAR level range of 0.17-0.37 W/kg, while the DECT base group was exposed at a SAR level range of 0.012-0.028 W/kg.