Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Mobile Phone Radiation Does Not Induce Pro-apoptosis Effects in Human Spermatozoa med./bio.

By: Falzone N, Huyser C, Franken DR, Leszczynski D

Published in: Radiat Res 2010; 174 (2): 169-176

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the effect of a one hour exposure to 900 MHz GSM mobile phone irradiation on the induction of pro-apoptosis events in human spermatozoa.

Background/further details

Semen samples were collected from healthy, nonsmoking donors (n=12) and examined at different times after exposure (immediately, after 2 h, and after 24 h).
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a key phospholipid component of eucaryotic cell membrane and found almost exclusively on inner leaflet of the plasma membrane lipid bilayer in normal healthy cells. PS externalization is an important physiological signal (for example, in the apoptotic process).

Endpoint

cell viability/cell division/proliferation: pro-apoptosis events in human spermatozoa (e.g. enzyme activity of caspases, externalization of phosphatidylserine, DNA strand breaks and production of reactive oxygen species)

Exposure

- PW pulsed wave
- mobile communications
- mobile phone
- digital mobile phone
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 60 min.	SAR: 2 W/kg SAR: 5.7 W/kg

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 60 min.

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Pulse width	577 ms
Additional info	GSM like signal repetition rate: 4.615 ms

Exposure setup

Exposure source	waveguide
Setup	high-Q waveguide resonator in TE₁₀ mode positioned inside a humidified incubator; cells placed inside the waveguide

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
SAR	2 W/kg	-	measured and calculated	-	-
SAR	5.7 W/kg	-	measured and calculated	-	-

Reference articles

Falzone N et al. (2008): In vitro effect of pulsed 900 MHz GSM radiation on mitochondrial membrane potential and motility of human spermatozoa
Leszczynski D et al. (2002): Non-thermal activation of the hsp27/p38MAPK stress pathway by mobile phone radiation in human endothelial cells: Molecular mechanism for cancer- and blood-brain barrier-related effects

Exposed system:

human spermatozoa

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

cell viability/cell division/proliferation: cell viability and apoptosis of/in human spermatozoa via DNA fragmentation (TUNEL assay), phosphatidylserine externalization (translocation; flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy analysis of annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide stained cells), caspase enzyme activity (flow cytometry), reactive oxygen species production (superoxide level; flow cytometry)

Investigated system:

intact cell/cell culture
spermatozoa suspensions

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Mobile phone exposure had no statistically significant effect on any of the parameters studied. The data suggest that the impairment of male fertility reported in some previous studies (see "related articles") was not caused by the induction of apoptosis in spermatozoa.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

National Research Foundation (NRF), Pretoria, South Africa
South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)
STUK (Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority), Helsinki, Finland

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