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Immune System

Effect of 900 MHz electromagnetic fields on nonthermal induction of heat-shock proteins in human leukocytes.

No Effects Found

Lim HB, Cook GG, Barker AT, Coulton LA. · 2005

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Cell phone radiation up to 3.6 W/kg didn't trigger stress proteins in immune cells, but this tests only one biological pathway.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed human white blood cells to 900 MHz cell phone radiation at various power levels for up to 4 hours to see if it triggered a cellular stress response. The cells showed no signs of producing stress proteins (the body's natural defense against harmful conditions) after RF exposure, even though they did respond normally when heated to 42°C. This suggests that cell phone-type radiation at these levels doesn't cause detectable cellular stress in immune cells.

Exposure Information

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

The study examined exposure from: 900 MHz Duration: 20 min, 1 h and 4 h

Study Details

The aim of this study was to determine whether exposure to mobile phone-type radiation causes a nonthermal stress response in human leukocytes.

Human peripheral blood was sham-exposed or exposed to 900 MHz fields (continuous-wave or GSM-modulat...

Heat caused an increase in the number of cells expressing stress proteins (HSP70, HSP27), measured u...

These results suggest that mobile phone-type radiation is not a stressor of normal human lymphocytes and monocytes, in contrast to mild heating.

Cite This Study
Lim HB, Cook GG, Barker AT, Coulton LA. (2005). Effect of 900 MHz electromagnetic fields on nonthermal induction of heat-shock proteins in human leukocytes. Radiat Res. 163(1):45-52, 2005.
Show BibTeX
@article{hb_2005_effect_of_900_mhz_3198,
  author = {Lim HB and Cook GG and Barker AT and Coulton LA.},
  title = {Effect of 900 MHz electromagnetic fields on nonthermal induction of heat-shock proteins in human leukocytes.},
  year = {2005},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15606306/},
}
PubMed: 15606306

Cited By (58 papers)

View all 58 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

No, a 2005 study found that 900 MHz cell phone radiation did not trigger stress protein production in human white blood cells, even after 4 hours of exposure. The cells responded normally to heat but showed no stress response to RF radiation.
Research shows mobile phone frequencies do not cause detectable cellular stress in immune cells. Human lymphocytes and monocytes exposed to 900 MHz radiation for up to 4 hours showed no increase in stress proteins, unlike when heated.
White blood cells showed no signs of stress or damage after 4 hours of continuous 900 MHz exposure in laboratory testing. The cells maintained normal function and did not produce protective stress proteins during RF exposure.
Cell phone radiation does not increase heat shock proteins in immune cells. While heating cells to 42°C triggered HSP70 and HSP27 production, 900 MHz RF fields at mobile phone levels caused no detectable stress protein response.
No, 900 MHz radiation is not a cellular stressor for human lymphocytes. Research demonstrated that mobile phone-type radiation does not activate the cellular stress response that normally protects cells from harmful conditions, unlike mild heating.