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Microwaves from Mobile Phones Inhibit 53BP1 Focus Formation in Human Stem Cells More Strongly Than in Differentiated Cells: Possible Mechanistic Link to Cancer Risk

Markova, Eva ; Malmgren, Lars LU and Belyaev, Igor Y. (2010) In Environmental Health Perspectives 118(3). p.394-399
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It is widely accepted that DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and their misrepair in stem cells are critical events in the multistage origination-of various leukemias and tumors, including gliomas. OBJECTIVES: We studied whether microwaves from mobile telephones of the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) and the Universal Global Telecommunications System (UMTS) induce DSBs or affect DSB repair in stem cells. METHODS: We analyzed tumor suppressor TP53 binding protein 1 (53BP1) foci that are typically formed at the sites of DSB location (referred to as DNA repair foci) by laser confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Microwaves from mobile phones inhibited formation of 53BP1 foci in human primary fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem... (More)
BACKGROUND: It is widely accepted that DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and their misrepair in stem cells are critical events in the multistage origination-of various leukemias and tumors, including gliomas. OBJECTIVES: We studied whether microwaves from mobile telephones of the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) and the Universal Global Telecommunications System (UMTS) induce DSBs or affect DSB repair in stem cells. METHODS: We analyzed tumor suppressor TP53 binding protein 1 (53BP1) foci that are typically formed at the sites of DSB location (referred to as DNA repair foci) by laser confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Microwaves from mobile phones inhibited formation of 53BP1 foci in human primary fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells. These data parallel our previous findings for human lymphocytes. Importantly, the same GSM carrier frequency (915 MHz) and UMTS frequency band (1947.4 MHz) were effective for all cell types. Exposure at 905 MHz did not inhibit 53BP1 foci in differentiated cells, either fibroblasts or lymphocytes, whereas some effects were seen in stem cells at 905 MHz. Contrary to fibroblasts, stem cells did not adapt to chronic exposure during 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The strongest microwave effects were always observed in stem cells. This result may suggest both significant misbalance in DSB repair and severe stress response. Our findings that stem cells are most sensitive to microwave exposure and react to more frequencies than do differentiated cells may be important for cancer risk assessment and indicate that stem cells are the most relevant cellular model for validating safe mobile communication signals. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
stem, cells, mobile phones, microwaves, 53BP1 foci, DNA double-strand breaks
in
Environmental Health Perspectives
volume
118
issue
3
pages
394 - 399
publisher
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
external identifiers
  • wos:000275449500032
  • scopus:77649229330
  • pmid:20064781
ISSN
1552-9924
DOI
10.1289/ehp.0900781
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
41191802-89ab-4bbb-94f2-4fd6c515e9f4 (old id 1589052)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:59:06
date last changed
2022-02-19 02:00:44
@article{41191802-89ab-4bbb-94f2-4fd6c515e9f4,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: It is widely accepted that DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and their misrepair in stem cells are critical events in the multistage origination-of various leukemias and tumors, including gliomas. OBJECTIVES: We studied whether microwaves from mobile telephones of the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) and the Universal Global Telecommunications System (UMTS) induce DSBs or affect DSB repair in stem cells. METHODS: We analyzed tumor suppressor TP53 binding protein 1 (53BP1) foci that are typically formed at the sites of DSB location (referred to as DNA repair foci) by laser confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Microwaves from mobile phones inhibited formation of 53BP1 foci in human primary fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells. These data parallel our previous findings for human lymphocytes. Importantly, the same GSM carrier frequency (915 MHz) and UMTS frequency band (1947.4 MHz) were effective for all cell types. Exposure at 905 MHz did not inhibit 53BP1 foci in differentiated cells, either fibroblasts or lymphocytes, whereas some effects were seen in stem cells at 905 MHz. Contrary to fibroblasts, stem cells did not adapt to chronic exposure during 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The strongest microwave effects were always observed in stem cells. This result may suggest both significant misbalance in DSB repair and severe stress response. Our findings that stem cells are most sensitive to microwave exposure and react to more frequencies than do differentiated cells may be important for cancer risk assessment and indicate that stem cells are the most relevant cellular model for validating safe mobile communication signals.}},
  author       = {{Markova, Eva and Malmgren, Lars and Belyaev, Igor Y.}},
  issn         = {{1552-9924}},
  keywords     = {{stem; cells; mobile phones; microwaves; 53BP1 foci; DNA double-strand breaks}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{394--399}},
  publisher    = {{National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences}},
  series       = {{Environmental Health Perspectives}},
  title        = {{Microwaves from Mobile Phones Inhibit 53BP1 Focus Formation in Human Stem Cells More Strongly Than in Differentiated Cells: Possible Mechanistic Link to Cancer Risk}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.0900781}},
  doi          = {{10.1289/ehp.0900781}},
  volume       = {{118}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}