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DNA & Genetic Damage

Microwaves from mobile phone induce reactive oxygen species but not DNA damage, preleukemic fusion genes and apoptosis in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells

No Effects Found

Authors not listed · 2019

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Mobile phone radiation temporarily increases oxidative stress in blood stem cells without causing DNA damage or cell death.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed umbilical cord blood stem cells to microwave radiation from GSM900 and UMTS mobile phones to test for cellular damage linked to childhood leukemia. While the radiation caused a temporary increase in reactive oxygen species (cell-damaging molecules) after one hour of UMTS exposure, it did not cause DNA breaks, cancer-promoting gene changes, or cell death. The oxidative stress disappeared within three hours, suggesting these stem cells can recover from short-term mobile phone radiation exposure.

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
Cite This Study
Unknown (2019). Microwaves from mobile phone induce reactive oxygen species but not DNA damage, preleukemic fusion genes and apoptosis in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells.
Show BibTeX
@article{microwaves_from_mobile_phone_induce_reactive_oxygen_species_but_not_dna_damage_preleukemic_fusion_genes_and_apoptosis_in_hematopoietic_stemprogenitor_cells_ce2750,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Microwaves from mobile phone induce reactive oxygen species but not DNA damage, preleukemic fusion genes and apoptosis in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells},
  year = {2019},
  doi = {10.1038/s41598-019-52389-x},
  
}
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52389-xPubMed: 31700008

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, UMTS mobile phone signals caused a temporary increase in reactive oxygen species in umbilical cord blood stem cells after one hour of exposure. However, this oxidative stress disappeared within three hours, suggesting cellular recovery mechanisms can handle short-term exposure.
No, GSM900 mobile phone radiation did not cause detectable DNA single or double strand breaks in umbilical cord blood stem cells. The study found no persistent DNA damage despite testing with sensitive laboratory methods including comet assays.
No, neither GSM900 nor UMTS mobile phone radiation induced preleukemic fusion genes in umbilical cord blood cells. These specific gene changes are associated with childhood leukemia development, but were not detected after microwave exposure in this study.
Yes, researchers found that reactive oxygen species levels increased with higher degrees of cellular differentiation. This suggests that more mature blood cells may be more vulnerable to oxidative stress from mobile phone radiation than primitive stem cells.
No, UMTS mobile phone radiation did not trigger apoptosis (programmed cell death) in umbilical cord blood stem cells. Despite causing temporary oxidative stress, the exposure was not severe enough to activate cellular death pathways in these critical blood-forming cells.