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Effect of GSTM1 and GSTT1 Polymorphisms on Genetic Damage in Humans Populations Exposed to Radiation From Mobile Towers.

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Gulati S, Yadav A, Kumar N, Kanupriya, Aggarwal NK, Kumar R, Gupta R. · 2016

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People living near cell towers showed up to 26 times more DNA damage than those living farther away.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers studied 116 people living near cell phone towers and compared their DNA damage to 106 people living farther away. They found significantly higher levels of genetic damage in the cells of people exposed to tower radiation, with DNA breaks nearly 26 times higher and cellular damage nearly 3 times higher than the control group. This suggests that chronic exposure to cell tower radiation may cause measurable genetic damage in nearby residents.

Why This Matters

This study adds to a growing body of evidence showing that cell tower radiation can cause biological effects at levels well below current safety standards. The researchers found dramatic increases in DNA damage using two different testing methods - the comet assay showed a 26-fold increase in DNA breaks, while the micronucleus test revealed a 3-fold increase in cellular damage. What makes this particularly concerning is that people living near cell towers are exposed to these radiofrequency fields 24/7, unlike the intermittent exposure from mobile phones. The reality is that current safety guidelines focus only on heating effects and ignore the mounting evidence for non-thermal biological impacts. While this study didn't measure exact exposure levels, it demonstrates that real-world proximity to cell towers correlates with measurable genetic damage in human populations.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Study Details

The objective of our study was to evaluate the genetic damage caused by radiation from mobile towers and to find an association between genetic polymorphism of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes and DNA damage.

In our study, 116 persons exposed to radiation from mobile towers and 106 control subjects were geno...

There was a significant increase in BMN frequency and TM value in exposed subjects (3.65 ± 2.44 and ...

Cite This Study
Gulati S, Yadav A, Kumar N, Kanupriya, Aggarwal NK, Kumar R, Gupta R. (2016). Effect of GSTM1 and GSTT1 Polymorphisms on Genetic Damage in Humans Populations Exposed to Radiation From Mobile Towers. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 70(3):615-625, 2016.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2016_effect_of_gstm1_and_2129,
  author = {Gulati S and Yadav A and Kumar N and Kanupriya and Aggarwal NK and Kumar R and Gupta R.},
  title = {Effect of GSTM1 and GSTT1 Polymorphisms on Genetic Damage in Humans Populations Exposed to Radiation From Mobile Towers.},
  year = {2016},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26238667/},
}
PubMed: 26238667

Cited By (23 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2016 study of 222 people found that residents living near cell phone towers had significantly higher DNA damage than those living farther away. DNA breaks were nearly 26 times higher and cellular damage nearly 3 times higher in the exposed group, suggesting chronic tower radiation exposure may cause measurable genetic damage.
Research comparing 116 people near cell towers to 106 controls found dramatically elevated genetic damage markers. The exposed group showed DNA breaks (BMN frequency) of 3.65 versus 1.23 in controls, and cellular damage (TM values) of 6.63 versus 0.26 - representing 26-fold and 3-fold increases respectively.
A 2016 study examined GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene polymorphisms in people exposed to cell tower radiation. Despite finding significant DNA damage in exposed individuals, researchers discovered no association between these genetic variations and protection levels, suggesting these particular gene variants don't influence radiation susceptibility.
Studies measuring specific biomarkers in cell tower residents found two main types of genetic damage: increased micronucleus formation (BMN frequency) indicating chromosome breaks, and elevated tail moment (TM) values showing DNA strand damage. Both markers were significantly higher compared to people living farther from towers.
Scientists use biomarkers like BMN frequency and TM values to assess DNA damage in people exposed to cell tower radiation. The 2016 study measured these markers in blood samples from 222 participants, comparing those living near towers to control groups living farther away to quantify genetic damage levels.