TY - JOUR
T1 - An in vitro study of the effects of exposure to a GSM signal in two human cell lines
T2 - Monocytic U937 and neuroblastoma SK-N-SH
AU - Gurisik, Ebru
AU - Warton, Kristina
AU - Martin, Donald K.
AU - Valenzuela, Stella M.
PY - 2006/10/1
Y1 - 2006/10/1
N2 - The use of mobile phones is increasing, which also increases the population's exposure to global system of mobile communications (GSM) signals. Questions of safety and possible biological effects are of concern and to date, remain largely unanswered. In order to examine possible biological effects of a GSM-like signal at a cellular level, we exposed two human cell lines (one of neuronal (SK-N-SH) and the other of monocytoid (U937) origin) to a 900 MHz RF signal, pulsed at 217 Hz, producing a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 0.2 W/kg. Putative effects were assessed by comparing radiofrequency-exposed cells to sham-exposed cells using a variety of assay techniques. For the cell line SK-N-SH, effects were specifically assessed by gene microarray, followed by real-time PCR of the genes of interest, Western blot analysis was used to measure heat shock protein levels, and flow cytometry to measure cell cycle distributions and apoptosis. Effects of radiofrequency on the cell line U937 were assessed by cell viability and cell cycle analysis. From our study of these two cell lines, we found no significant difference between sham-exposed versus radiofrequency-exposed cells in any of the assays or conditions examined.
AB - The use of mobile phones is increasing, which also increases the population's exposure to global system of mobile communications (GSM) signals. Questions of safety and possible biological effects are of concern and to date, remain largely unanswered. In order to examine possible biological effects of a GSM-like signal at a cellular level, we exposed two human cell lines (one of neuronal (SK-N-SH) and the other of monocytoid (U937) origin) to a 900 MHz RF signal, pulsed at 217 Hz, producing a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 0.2 W/kg. Putative effects were assessed by comparing radiofrequency-exposed cells to sham-exposed cells using a variety of assay techniques. For the cell line SK-N-SH, effects were specifically assessed by gene microarray, followed by real-time PCR of the genes of interest, Western blot analysis was used to measure heat shock protein levels, and flow cytometry to measure cell cycle distributions and apoptosis. Effects of radiofrequency on the cell line U937 were assessed by cell viability and cell cycle analysis. From our study of these two cell lines, we found no significant difference between sham-exposed versus radiofrequency-exposed cells in any of the assays or conditions examined.
KW - Cell cycle
KW - Electromagnetic fields
KW - Gene expression
KW - Mobile phone
KW - Neuroblastoma
KW - Radiofrequency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33750144762&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cellbi.2006.06.001
DO - 10.1016/j.cellbi.2006.06.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 16877012
AN - SCOPUS:33750144762
SN - 1065-6995
VL - 30
SP - 793
EP - 799
JO - Cell Biology International
JF - Cell Biology International
IS - 10
ER -