Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effect of 3G Cell Phone Exposure with Computer Controlled 2-D Stepper Motor on Non-thermal Activation of the hsp27/p38MAPK Stress Pathway in Rat Brain med./bio.

By: Kesari KK, Meena R, Nirala J, Kumar J, Verma HN

Published in: Cell Biochem Biophys 2014; 68 (2): 347-358

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To examine the effect of exposure to a radiofrequency electromagnetic field emitted by a 3G mobile phone on the brain of young rats (45 days old).

Background/further details

Three groups of rats were examined (n=6 per group): 1.) cage control, 2.) sham exposure and 3.) exposure group. The experiments were repeated thrice.

Endpoint

effects on the neurological system: DNA damage, protein expression, apoptosis and oxidative stress in brain

Exposure

- mobile communications
- mobile phone

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 2,115 MHz Exposure duration: continuous for 2 hours/day for 60 days	SAR: 0.9 W/kg mean (according to manufacturer's instruction) SAR: 0.26 W/kg

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	2,115 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 2 hours/day for 60 days

Exposure setup

Exposure source	cellular phone 3G cellular phone in video calling mode (sending and receiving data)
Chamber	each rat was kept seperately in a plexiglas box (215 x 65 x 25 mm) with holes for ventilation
Setup	active mobile phone was placed on the top of the exposure box and connected with a stepper motor control system; to simulate the non-stationary use of a mobile phone during a call, the mobile phone moved in a way that the angle between mobile phone and horizontal plane changed from 0° to 30° (2° per minute)
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
SAR	0.9 W/kg	mean	-	-	according to manufacturer's instruction
SAR	0.26 W/kg	-	measured and calculated	-	-

Exposed system:

animal
rat/ Wistar
whole body

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

genotoxicity/mutation: DNA strand breaks in the brain (comet assay), number of micronuclei in blood (flow cytometry, microscopy)
molecular biosynthesis: protein expression in the brain (phosphorylated p38 MAP kinase, phosphorylated Hsp27, phosphorylated Hsp70, Bax, Bcl-2, cytochrome c) (Western blot)
cell viability/cell division/proliferation: caspase-3 enzyme activity in the brain as a marker of apoptosis (spectrophotometry), DNA fragmentation in the brain as a marker of apoptosis (electrophoresis), cell viability in the brain (flow cytometry)
oxidative stress in brain: level of reactive oxygen species (colorimetric assay)

Investigated system:

isolated bio./chem. substance
brain homogenates, blood

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

In the exposed group, the level of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, protein expression of all examined proteins and the apoptosis rate were significantly increased compared to the sham exposure group. No significant changes occurred between the sham exposure group and the cage control.
The authors conclude that exposure to a radiofrequency electromagnetic field emitted by a 3G mobile phone could have a deleterious effect on the brain of young rats.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India

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