In vitro lymphocyte proliferation induced by radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation under isothermal conditions.
Cleary SF, Liu LM, Merchant RE · 1990
View Original AbstractRF radiation directly altered immune cell activity at levels independent of heating, suggesting biological effects beyond current safety assumptions.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed human immune cells (lymphocytes) to radio frequency radiation at two common frequencies for 2 hours while carefully controlling temperature. They found that lower radiation levels actually stimulated immune cell activity, while higher levels suppressed it. This demonstrates that RF radiation can directly affect immune system function without any heating effects.
Why This Matters
This 1990 study provides compelling evidence that RF radiation affects immune system function through non-thermal mechanisms. The biphasic response - where lower exposures stimulated lymphocyte proliferation while higher exposures suppressed it - challenges the prevailing assumption that only heating effects matter. The SAR levels below 50 W/kg that showed immune stimulation are well above what you experience from cell phones (typically 0.5-2 W/kg), but the demonstration of biological effects independent of temperature is significant. What this means for you is that your immune system may be responding to RF radiation from wireless devices in ways that current safety standards don't account for. The research adds to a growing body of evidence showing that the biological effects of EMF extend far beyond simple tissue heating.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- <50, ≥50 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 27 or 2,450 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- 2 hours
Exposure Context
This study used <50, ≥50 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 125x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
The aim of this study is to investigate In vitro lymphocyte proliferation induced by radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation under isothermal conditions.
Whole human blood was exposed or sham-exposed in vitro for 2 h to 27 or 2,450 MHz radio-frequency el...
Exposure to radiation at either frequency at specific absorption rates (SARs) below 50 W/kg resulted...
Notwithstanding the characteristic temperature dependence of lymphocyte activation in vitro, the isothermal exposure conditions of this study warrant the conclusion that the biphasic, dose-dependent effects of the radiation on lymphocyte proliferation were not dependent on heating.
Show BibTeX
@article{sf_1990_in_vitro_lymphocyte_proliferation_906,
author = {Cleary SF and Liu LM and Merchant RE},
title = {In vitro lymphocyte proliferation induced by radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation under isothermal conditions.},
year = {1990},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2346507/},
}