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Brain & Nervous System

Expression of the water channel protein, aquaporin-4, in mouse brains exposed to mobile telephone radiofrequency fields

No Effects Found

Finnie JW, Blumbergs PC, Cai Z, Manavis J · 2009

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Cell phone radiation at 4 W/kg SAR showed no blood-brain barrier disruption in mice after exposures up to two years.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed mice to cell phone radiation at 900 MHz for either one hour or two years to see if it would increase a brain protein called aquaporin-4, which rises when the blood-brain barrier becomes leaky. They found no increase in this protein after either short or long-term exposure, suggesting that cell phone radiation at this level doesn't make the blood-brain barrier more permeable.

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: 60 min or 5 days/week for 104 weeks

Study Details

To determine whether exposure to mobile telephone radiofrequency (RF) fields, either acutely or long-term, produces up-regulation of the water channel protein, aquaporin-4 (AQP-4).

Using a purpose-designed exposure system at 900 MHz, mice were given a single, far-field whole body ...

There was no increase in AQP-4 expression in brains exposed to mobile phone microwaves compared to c...

Brains exposed to mobile telephone RF fields for a short (60 minutes) or long (2 years) duration did not show any immunohistochemically detectable up-regulation of the water channel protein, AQP-4, suggesting that there was no significant increase in blood-brain barrier permeability.

Cite This Study
Finnie JW, Blumbergs PC, Cai Z, Manavis J (2009). Expression of the water channel protein, aquaporin-4, in mouse brains exposed to mobile telephone radiofrequency fields Pathology. 41(5):473-475, 2009a.
Show BibTeX
@article{jw_2009_expression_of_the_water_2752,
  author = {Finnie JW and Blumbergs PC and Cai Z and Manavis J},
  title = {Expression of the water channel protein, aquaporin-4, in mouse brains exposed to mobile telephone radiofrequency fields},
  year = {2009},
  doi = {10.1080/00313020902885045},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00313020902885045},
}
DOI: 10.1080/00313020902885045

Cited By (12 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

No, a 2009 study found that 900 MHz cell phone radiation did not increase aquaporin-4 protein levels in mouse brains after either one hour or two years of exposure. This protein typically rises when the blood-brain barrier becomes leaky, suggesting no barrier damage occurred.
Research shows 900 MHz cell phone radiation does not increase blood-brain barrier permeability. Scientists measured aquaporin-4 protein levels as an indicator of barrier leakage in mice exposed for up to two years, finding no significant changes compared to unexposed control groups.
Brain water channels remain unchanged after long-term cell phone exposure. A study exposing mice to 900 MHz radiation for two years found no upregulation of aquaporin-4, the main water channel protein in brain tissue, indicating normal barrier function.
One hour of 900 MHz cell phone radiation exposure does not affect brain barrier proteins. Researchers found no increase in aquaporin-4 expression after short-term exposure, the same result seen in mice exposed for two full years.
Aquaporin-4 testing appears reliable for detecting blood-brain barrier damage from EMF exposure. The 2009 study confirmed this protein substantially increased when mice received a known toxin that damages the barrier, validating the testing method's accuracy.