No DNA damage response and negligible genome-wide transcriptional changes in human embryonic stem cells exposed to terahertz radiation.
Bogomazova AN, Vassina EM, Goryachkovskaya TN, Popik VM, Sokolov AS, Kolchanov NA, Lagarkova MA, Kiselev SL, Peltek SE. · 2015
View Original AbstractTerahertz radiation caused subtle gene changes in stem cells without DNA damage, suggesting biological effects below traditional harm thresholds.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed human embryonic stem cells to terahertz radiation at 2.3 THz and found no DNA damage or structural chromosome problems. However, they discovered subtle changes in gene activity affecting about 1% of genes, particularly those related to mitochondria (the cell's energy powerhouses). The study suggests terahertz radiation may influence cellular function without causing obvious genetic harm.
Why This Matters
This research provides important insights into terahertz radiation effects, a frequency range increasingly used in security scanners and emerging 6G wireless technology. While the study found no direct DNA damage, the subtle changes in gene expression affecting mitochondrial function deserve attention. Mitochondria are critical for cellular energy production, and even small disruptions could have downstream effects on cell health and development. What this means for you is that terahertz radiation appears to interact with biological systems in ways that aren't immediately obvious through standard toxicity tests. The fact that embryonic stem cells showed these responses is particularly noteworthy, as these cells are highly sensitive to environmental influences and represent our earliest developmental stages.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 2.3 THz
Study Details
We studied DNA damage and transcriptome responses in hESCs exposed to narrow-band THz radiation (2.3 THz) under strict temperature control.
The transcription of approximately 1% of genes was subtly increased following THz irradiation. Funct...
Show BibTeX
@article{an_2015_no_dna_damage_response_1917,
author = {Bogomazova AN and Vassina EM and Goryachkovskaya TN and Popik VM and Sokolov AS and Kolchanov NA and Lagarkova MA and Kiselev SL and Peltek SE.},
title = {No DNA damage response and negligible genome-wide transcriptional changes in human embryonic stem cells exposed to terahertz radiation.},
year = {2015},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/srep07749},
}