Continuous Exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE (4G) Electromagnetic Fields Increases Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species to Decrease Human Cell Proliferation and Induce Senescence

Abstract

Continuous Exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE (4G) Electromagnetic Fields Increases Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species to Decrease Human Cell Proliferation and Induce Senescence Jisu Choi, Kyeongrae Min, Sangbong Jeon, Nam Kim, Jeong-Ki Pack, Kiwon Song. Continuous Exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE Electromagnetic Fields Increases Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species to Decrease Human Cell Proliferation and Induce Senescence. Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 8;10(1):9238. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-65732-4. Abstract Due to the rapid development of mobile phone technology, we are continuously exposed to 1.7 GHz LTE radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs), but their biological effects have not been clarified. Here, we investigated the non-thermal cellular effects of these RF-EMFs on human cells, including human adipose tissue- derived stem cells (ASCs), Huh7 and Hep3B liver cancer stem cells (CSCs), HeLa and SH-SY5Y cancer cells, and normal fibroblast IMR-90 cells. When continuously exposed to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF for 72 h at 1 and 2 SAR, cell proliferation was consistently decreased in all the human cells. The anti-proliferative effect was higher at 2 SAR than 1 SAR and was less severe in ASCs. The exposure to RF-EMF for 72 h at 1 and 2 SAR did not induce DNA double strand breaks or apoptotic cell death, but did trigger a slight delay in the G1 to S cell cycle transition. Cell senescence was also clearly observed in ASC and Huh7 cells exposed to RF-EMF at 2 SAR for 72 h. Intracellular ROS increased in these cells and the treatment with an ROS (reactive oxygen species) scavenger recapitulated the anti-proliferative effect of RF-EMF. These observations strongly suggest that 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF decrease proliferation and increase senescence by increasing intracellular ROS in human cells. Excerpt Altogether, this study as well as other studies strongly suggest that RF-EMF exposure leads to a change in intracellular ROS levels that may result in genotoxic stress, decreased proliferation and cell senescence, or no physiological effects depending on ROS concentration and the differential sensitivity of various cells to ROS. Thus, the mechanism behind RF-EMF exposure altering intracellular ROS levels should be further studied to elucidate the biological effects of RF-EMFs. It is not plausible to directly predict the physiological effects of 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF from our cell-based study. However, the anti-proliferative effect of 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF on various human cells in this study suggests that the exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF would be more harmful to children, whose adult stem cells should be very active for growth and may accelerate the aging of body cells. We also carefully suggest that the anti-proliferative effect of various cancer cells by 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF would be interpreted with care, considering that both positive and negative effects of RF-EMF have been reported on cancer development. Open access paper: nature.com

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Continuous exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF for 72 h at 1 and 2 SAR decreased cell proliferation across all tested human cell types, with a stronger anti-proliferative effect at 2 SAR and less severe effects in ASCs. Exposure did not induce DNA double strand breaks or apoptotic cell death, but was associated with a slight delay in G1-to-S transition; senescence was clearly observed in ASCs and Huh7 cells at 2 SAR, alongside increased intracellular ROS.

Outcomes measured

• Cell proliferation
• Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS)
• Cell senescence
• DNA double strand breaks
• Apoptotic cell death
• Cell cycle transition (G1 to S)

Limitations

• In vitro (cell-based) study; authors note it is not plausible to directly predict physiological effects from this study
• Sample size and replication details not provided in the abstract
• Exposure conditions described as 1 and 2 SAR but SAR units/measurement details not provided in the abstract

Suggested hubs

• 4g-lte (0.9)
  Study explicitly examines 1.7 GHz LTE (4G) RF-EMF exposure.

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    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "LTE (4G)",
        "frequency_mhz": 1700,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "Continuous exposure for 72 h at 1 and 2 SAR"
    },
    "population": "Human cells in culture: human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs), Huh7 and Hep3B liver cancer stem cells, HeLa and SH-SY5Y cancer cells, and normal fibroblast IMR-90 cells",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Cell proliferation",
        "Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS)",
        "Cell senescence",
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        "Apoptotic cell death",
        "Cell cycle transition (G1 to S)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Continuous exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF for 72 h at 1 and 2 SAR decreased cell proliferation across all tested human cell types, with a stronger anti-proliferative effect at 2 SAR and less severe effects in ASCs. Exposure did not induce DNA double strand breaks or apoptotic cell death, but was associated with a slight delay in G1-to-S transition; senescence was clearly observed in ASCs and Huh7 cells at 2 SAR, alongside increased intracellular ROS.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "In vitro (cell-based) study; authors note it is not plausible to directly predict physiological effects from this study",
        "Sample size and replication details not provided in the abstract",
        "Exposure conditions described as 1 and 2 SAR but SAR units/measurement details not provided in the abstract"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
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        "RF-EMF",
        "SAR",
        "reactive oxygen species",
        "ROS",
        "cell proliferation",
        "senescence",
        "cell cycle",
        "DNA double strand breaks",
        "apoptosis",
        "human adipose-derived stem cells",
        "cancer cells",
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