Gene expression changes in human cells after exposure to mobile phone microwaves

• Published in: Proteomics (Weinheim) Vol. 6; no. 17; pp. 4745 - 4754
• Main Authors: Remondini, Daniel, Nylund, Reetta, Reivinen, Jukka, Poulletier de Gannes, Florence, Veyret, Bernard, Lagroye, Isabelle, Haro, Emmanuelle, Trillo, M. Angeles, Capri, Miriam, Franceschi, Claudio, Schlatterer, Kathrin, Gminski, Richard, Fitzner, Rudolf, Tauber, Rudolf, Schuderer, Jurgen, Kuster, Niels, Leszczynski, Dariusz, Bersani, Ferdinando, Maercker, Christian
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.09.2006; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley-VCH; Wiley-VCH Verlag
• Subjects: Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; Bioinformatics; Biological and medical sciences; Biophysics; Cell Line; Cell Phone; Down-Regulation - radiation effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Life Sciences; Microwaves; Miscellaneous; Mobile phones; Proteins; Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields; Toxicology; Transcriptome analysis; Up-Regulation - radiation effects; Human; Gene expression; Bioinformatics; ile phones / Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields / Transcriptome analysis; Proteomics; Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields; Transcriptome analysis; Mobile phones
• ISSN: 1615-9853; 1615-9861
• DOI: 10.1002/pmic.200500896

Possible biological effects of mobile phone microwaves were investigated in vitro. In this study, which was part of the 5FP EU project REFLEX (Risk Evaluation of Potential Environmental Hazards From Low‐Energy Electromagnetic Field Exposure Using Sensitive in vitro Methods), six human cell types, immortalized cell lines and primary cells, were exposed to 900 and 1800 MHz. RNA was isolated from exposed and sham‐exposed cells and labeled for transcriptome analysis on whole‐genome cDNA arrays. The results were evaluated statistically using bioinformatics techniques and examined for biological relevance with the help of different databases. NB69 neuroblastoma cells, T lymphocytes, and CHME5 microglial cells did not show significant changes in gene expression. In EA.hy926 endothelial cells, U937 lymphoblastoma cells, and HL‐60 leukemia cells we found between 12 and 34 up‐ or down‐regulated genes. Analysis of the affected gene families does not point towards a stress response. However, following microwave exposure, some but not all human cells might react with an increase in expression of genes encoding ribosomal proteins and therefore up‐regulating the cellular metabolism.