Apoptotic cell death during Drosophila oogenesis is differentially increased by electromagnetic radiation depending on modulation, intensity and duration of exposure.
Sagioglou NE, Manta AK, Giannarakis IK, Skouroliakou AS, Margaritis LH · 2016
View Original AbstractRF radiation increased cell death in developing eggs at all tested frequencies and power levels, with modulated signals proving more harmful than continuous waves.
Plain English Summary
Greek researchers exposed fruit flies to radiofrequency radiation at various frequencies (100-900 MHz) and found that all exposure protocols increased cell death in developing eggs, even at very low power levels. The study revealed that frequency-modulated signals caused more damage than continuous waves, and that biological effects don't follow a simple dose-response relationship. This research demonstrates that even brief exposures to RF radiation can disrupt normal cellular processes in developing organisms.
Why This Matters
This study provides compelling evidence that RF radiation's biological effects are far more complex than current safety guidelines acknowledge. The finding that even very low-intensity exposures caused increased cell death across all tested protocols challenges the assumption that 'the dose makes the poison' when it comes to electromagnetic fields. What makes this research particularly significant is the demonstration that modulation patterns matter - frequency-modulated signals proved more harmful than continuous waves, which has direct relevance to modern wireless technologies that rely heavily on various modulation schemes. The researchers' conclusion that translating these findings into human exposure guidelines remains 'arbitrary' highlights a critical gap between our scientific understanding and regulatory standards. While this study used fruit flies rather than human subjects, the fundamental cellular processes being disrupted are conserved across species, making these findings relevant to human health concerns.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 100, 395, 682, 900 MHz Duration: 6 min or 60 min on the 6th day), or repeatedly (6 min or 60 min daily for the first 6 days of their life)
Study Details
Present generations are being repeatedly exposed to different types and doses of non-ionizing radiation (NIR) from wireless technologies (FM radio, TETRA and TV stations, GSM and UMTS phones/base stations, Wi-Fi networks, DECT phones). Although there is controversy on the published data regarding the non-thermal effects of NIR, studies have convincingly demonstrated bioeffects. Their results indicate that modulation, intensity, exposure duration and model system are important factors determining the biological response to irradiation. Attempting to address the dependence of NIR bioeffectiveness on these factors, apoptosis in the model biological system Drosophila melanogaster was studied under different exposure protocols.
A signal generator was used operating alternatively under Continuous Wave (CW) or Frequency Modulati...
All exposure protocols resulted in an increase of apoptotic cell death (ACD) observed in egg chamber...
Show BibTeX
@article{ne_2016_apoptotic_cell_death_during_2552,
author = {Sagioglou NE and Manta AK and Giannarakis IK and Skouroliakou AS and Margaritis LH},
title = {Apoptotic cell death during Drosophila oogenesis is differentially increased by electromagnetic radiation depending on modulation, intensity and duration of exposure. },
year = {2016},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25333897/},
}