Microwaves from UMTS/GSM mobile phones induce long-lasting inhibition of 53BP1/gamma-H2AX DNA repair foci in human lymphocytes.
Belyaev IY, Markovà E, Hillert L, Malmgren LO, Persson BR. · 2009
View Original AbstractMobile phone radiation disrupts DNA repair mechanisms for up to 72 hours after exposure, with newer technologies showing greater biological effects.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed human white blood cells to microwave radiation from GSM and UMTS mobile phones and found that the radiation interfered with the cells' ability to repair DNA damage. The interference lasted up to 72 hours after exposure - longer than the cellular stress response from heat shock. UMTS signals (used in 3G phones) appeared to cause more biological disruption than older GSM signals, suggesting newer phone technologies may pose greater health risks.
Why This Matters
This study reveals a troubling mechanism by which mobile phone radiation may contribute to long-term health effects. The researchers found that microwave exposure doesn't just cause DNA damage - it actively interferes with the cellular machinery designed to repair that damage. What makes this particularly concerning is the persistence of these effects. The science demonstrates that cells remained compromised for up to three days after a single exposure, suggesting that daily phone use could create a state of chronic DNA repair dysfunction. The finding that UMTS signals caused greater biological disruption than GSM is especially relevant today, as we've moved to even more complex 4G and 5G signals. Put simply, this research suggests that as our wireless technologies have become more sophisticated, their potential for biological interference may have increased as well.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: GSM-915 MHz
Study Details
The aim of this study is to investigate Microwaves from UMTS/GSM mobile phones induce long-lasting inhibition of 53BP1/gamma-H2AX DNA repair foci in human lymphocytes.
Here, we report for the first time that UMTS MWs affect chromatin and inhibit formation of DNA doubl...
The non-parametric statistics used here did not indicate specificity of the differences revealed between the effects of GSM and UMTS MWs on cells from hypersensitive subjects and more data are needed to study the nature of these differences.
Show BibTeX
@article{iy_2009_microwaves_from_umtsgsm_mobile_1897,
author = {Belyaev IY and Markovà E and Hillert L and Malmgren LO and Persson BR.},
title = {Microwaves from UMTS/GSM mobile phones induce long-lasting inhibition of 53BP1/gamma-H2AX DNA repair foci in human lymphocytes.},
year = {2009},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18839414/},
}