To investigate possible reasons for the increase of reactive oxygen species formation in human eye lens epithelial cells exposed to low intensity 1.8 GHz radiofrequency fields.
Human eye lens epithelial cells were used in this study because the eye is an important organ frequently exposed to radiofrequency fields from mobile phones.
The cells were sham exposed or exposed to radiofrequency fields with specific absorption rates of 2, 3 or 4 W/kg. Different exposure durations were used: For the detection of reactive oxygen species, cells were exposed for 0.5, 1 or 1.5 hours and for the analysis of the cell viability and lipid peroxidation 6, 12 or 24 hours. The exposure duration for gene expression and protein expression analysis was 1 hour.
| Exposure | Parameters |
|---|---|
|
Exposure 1:
1,800 MHz
Modulation type:
pulsed
Exposure duration:
intermittent (5 minutes field "on"/10 minutes field "off") for up to 24 hours
|
|
|
Exposure 2:
1,800 MHz
Modulation type:
pulsed
Exposure duration:
intermittent (5 minutes field "on"/10 minutes field "off") for up to 24 hours
|
|
|
Exposure 3:
1,800 MHz
Modulation type:
pulsed
Exposure duration:
intermittent (5 minutes field "on"/10 minutes field "off") for up to 24 hours
|
| Frequency | 1,800 MHz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Exposure duration | intermittent (5 minutes field "on"/10 minutes field "off") for up to 24 hours |
| Exposure source | |
|---|---|
| Chamber | exposure system consists of exposure-waveguide chamber, sham exposure chamber, signal tower, amplifiers, PC with software and a CO2 incubator at 37°C; temperature difference never exceeded 0.1°C between exposed cells and sham exposed cells |
| Sham exposure | A sham exposure was conducted. |
| Frequency | 1,800 MHz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Exposure duration | intermittent (5 minutes field "on"/10 minutes field "off") for up to 24 hours |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|---|
| Sham exposure | A sham exposure was conducted. |
| Frequency | 1,800 MHz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Exposure duration | intermittent (5 minutes field "on"/10 minutes field "off") for up to 24 hours |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|---|
| Sham exposure | A sham exposure was conducted. |
In all exposed cell cultures, the level of reactive oxygen species and the lipid peroxidation were significantly increased compared to the corresponding sham exposed cell cultures, while the cell viability, the gene expression and the protein expression were significantly decreased.
The authors conclude that the observed increase in the oxidative stress level in human eye lens epithelial cells exposed to radiofrequency fields may be due to a down-regulation of antioxidant enzymes.
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