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Adaptive Response Induced by Pre-Exposure to 915 MHz Radiofrequency: A Possible Role for Antioxidant Enzyme Activity.

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Mortazavi SMJ, Mostafavi-Pour Z, Daneshmand M, Zal F, Zare R, Mosleh-Shirazi MA. · 2017

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Low-power 915 MHz radiation triggered protective antioxidant responses in rat livers, but higher powers didn't show this benefit.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed 50 rats to 915 MHz radiofrequency radiation (similar to microwave ovens) at different power levels for 4 hours daily over one week, then tested whether this 'primed' their livers to better handle radiation damage. They found that low-power RF exposure increased protective antioxidant enzymes in the liver, creating an 'adaptive response' that helped protect against subsequent high-dose gamma radiation damage.

Why This Matters

This study reveals something fascinating about how our bodies might respond to radiofrequency exposure. The research demonstrates that low-level RF radiation can trigger cellular defense mechanisms, specifically boosting antioxidant enzymes like glutathione that protect against oxidative damage. What's particularly intriguing is that this protective effect only occurred at low power levels, not medium or high ones. This suggests a hormetic response where small amounts of stress can strengthen biological systems, similar to how exercise stresses muscles to make them stronger. The 915 MHz frequency used here is close to what you encounter from microwave ovens and some wireless devices. While this adaptive response might sound beneficial, the reality is more complex. The fact that higher power levels didn't provide protection suggests there's a narrow window where this effect occurs, and we don't yet understand the long-term implications of repeatedly triggering these cellular stress responses.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 915 MHz Duration: 4 hours per day for one week at different powers, as low, medium and high

Study Details

This study aimed to assess whether radiofrequency radiation can induce adaptive response by changing the antioxidant balance

In order to assess RF-induced adaptive response in tissues, we evaluated the level of GSH and the ac...

Our finding showed that pre-exposure to 915 MHz radiofrequency radiation with specific power could i...

It can be concluded that pre-exposure to microwave radiation could increase the level of GSH and the activity of GR enzyme, although these increases were seen just in low power group, and the GR activity was indicated in medium power group. This increase protects tissue from oxidative damage induced by sublethal dose of gamma radiation.

Cite This Study
Mortazavi SMJ, Mostafavi-Pour Z, Daneshmand M, Zal F, Zare R, Mosleh-Shirazi MA. (2017). Adaptive Response Induced by Pre-Exposure to 915 MHz Radiofrequency: A Possible Role for Antioxidant Enzyme Activity. J Biomed Phys Eng. 7(2):137-142, 2017.
Show BibTeX
@article{smj_2017_adaptive_response_induced_by_1676,
  author = {Mortazavi SMJ and Mostafavi-Pour Z and Daneshmand M and Zal F and Zare R and Mosleh-Shirazi MA.},
  title = {Adaptive Response Induced by Pre-Exposure to 915 MHz Radiofrequency: A Possible Role for Antioxidant Enzyme Activity.},
  year = {2017},
  
  url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5447250/},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed 50 rats to 915 MHz radiofrequency radiation (similar to microwave ovens) at different power levels for 4 hours daily over one week, then tested whether this 'primed' their livers to better handle radiation damage. They found that low-power RF exposure increased protective antioxidant enzymes in the liver, creating an 'adaptive response' that helped protect against subsequent high-dose gamma radiation damage.