Adamantia F. Fragopoulou

Brain proteome response following whole body exposure of mice to mobile phone or wireless DECT base radiation

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of two sources of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on the proteome of cerebellum, hippocampus, and frontal lobe in Balb/c mice following long-term whole body irradiation. Three equally divided groups of animals (6 animals/group) were used; the first group was exposed to a typical mobile phone, at a SAR level range of 0.17–0.37 W/kg for 3 h daily for 8 months, the second group was exposed to a wireless DECT base (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications/Telephone) at a SAR level range of 0.012–0.028 W/kg for 8 h/day also for 8 months and the third group comprised the sham-exposed animals. Comparative proteomics analysis revealed that long-term irradiation from both EMF sources altered significantly (p < 0.05) the expression of 143 proteins in total (as low as 0.003 fold downregulation up to 114 fold overexpression). Several neural function related proteins (i.e., Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), Alpha-synuclein, Glia Maturation Factor beta (GMF), and apolipoprotein E (apoE)), heat shock proteins, and cytoskeletal proteins (i.e., Neurofilaments and tropomodulin) are included in this list as well as proteins of the brain metabolism (i.e., Aspartate aminotransferase, Glutamate dehydrogenase) to nearly all brain regions studied. Western blot analysis on selected proteins confirmed the proteomics data. The observed protein expression changes may be related to brain plasticity alterations, indicative of oxidative stress in the nervous system or involved in apoptosis and might potentially explain human health hazards reported so far, such as headaches, sleep disturbance, fatigue, memory deficits, and brain tumor long-term induction under similar exposure conditions.

Cranial and postcranial skeletal variations induced in mouse embryos by mobile phone radiation

This study focuses on foetal development following mild daily exposure of pregnant mice to near field electromagnetic radiation emitted by a mobile phone. The investigation was motivated by the fact that the potentially hazardous electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phones is currently of tremendous public interest. Physically comparable pregnant mice were exposed to radiofrequency radiation GSM 900MHz emitted by a mobile phone. Within 5h after birth most cubs were fixed followed by double staining in toto, and conventional paraffin histology. Other cubs remained with their mothers until teeth eruption. Structural development was assessed by examining newborns for the presence of anomalies and/or variations in soft tissues and skeletal anatomy. Electromagnetic radiofrequency exposed newborns, externally examined, displayed a normal phenotype. Histochemical and histological studies, however, revealed variations in the exposed foetuses with respect to control ones concerning the ossification of cranial bones and thoracic cage ribs, as well as displacement of Meckelian cartilage. Littermates examined after teeth eruption displayed normal phenotypes. It is concluded that mild exposure to mobile phone radiation may affect, although transiently, mouse foetal development at the ossification level. The developmental variations observed could be explained by considering the different embryonic origin and mode of ossification of the affected skeletal elements.

Mobile-phone radiation-induced perturbation of gene-expression profiling, redox equilibrium and sporadic-apoptosis control in the ovary of Drosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT The daily use by people of wireless communication devices has increased exponentially in the last decade, begetting concerns regarding its potential health hazards. Drosophila melanogaster four days-old adult female flies were exposed for 30 min to radiation emitted by a commercial mobile phone at a SAR of 0.15 W/kg and a SAE of 270 J/kg. ROS levels and apoptotic follicles were assayed in parallel with a genome-wide microarrays analysis. ROS cellular contents were found to increase by 1.6-fold (x), immediately after the end of exposure, in follicles of pre-choriogenic stages (germarium - stage 10), while sporadically generated apoptotic follicles (germarium 2b and stages 7–9) presented with an averaged 2x upregulation in their sub-population mass, 4 h after flys irradiation with mobile device. Microarray analysis revealed 168 genes being differentially expressed, 2 h post-exposure, in response to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic field-radiation exposure (≥1.25x, P < 0.05) and associated with multiple and critical biological processes, such as basic metabolism and cellular subroutines related to stress response and apoptotic death. Exposure of adult flies to mobile-phone radiation for 30 min has an immediate impact on ROS production in animals ovary, which seems to cause a global, systemic and non-targeted transcriptional reprogramming of gene expression, 2 h post-exposure, being finally followed by induction of apoptosis 4 h after the end of exposure. Conclusively, this unique type of pulsed radiation, mainly being derived from daily used mobile phones, seems capable of mobilizing critical cytopathic mechanisms, and altering fundamental genetic programs and networks in D. melanogaster.

Immune responses of a wall lizard to whole-body exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation

Abstract Purpose During the last three decades, the number of devices that emit non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (EMR) at the wireless communication spectrum has rapidly increased and possible effects on living organisms have become a major concern. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of radiofrequency EMR emitted by a widely used wireless communication device, namely the Digital Enhanced Communication Telephony (DECT) base, on the immune responses of the Aegean wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii). Materials and methods Adult male lizards were exposed 24 h/day for 8 weeks to 1880–1900 MHz DECT base radiation at average electric field intensity of 3.2 V/m. Immune reactivity was assessed using the phytohemagglutinin (PHA) skin swelling and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) tests. Results Our results revealed a noticeable suppression (approximately 45%) of inflammatory responses in EMR-exposed lizards compared to sham-exposed animals. T cell-mediated responses were marginally affected. Conclusion Daily radiofrequency EMR exposure seems to affect, at least partially, the immunocompetence of the Aegean wall lizard.

Applying Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS) for the Biophysical Characterization of Mammalian Tissues under a Variety of Cellular Stresses

The dielectric properties of biological tissues can contribute non-invasively to a better characterization and understanding of the structural properties and physiology of living organisms. The question we asked, is whether these induced changes are effected by an endogenous or exogenous cellular stress, and can they be detected non-invasively in the form of a dielectric response, e.g., an AC conductivity switch in the broadband frequency spectrum. This study constitutes the first methodological approach for the detection of environmental stress-induced damage in mammalian tissues by the means of broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) at the frequencies of 1–106 Hz. Firstly, we used non-ionizing (NIR) and ionizing radiation (IR) as a typical environmental stress. Specifically, rats were exposed to either digital enhanced cordless telecommunication (DECT) radio frequency electromagnetic radiation or to γ-radiation, respectively. The other type of stress, characterized usually by high genomic instability, was the pathophysiological state of human cancer (lung and prostate). Analyzing the results of isothermal dielectric measurements provided information on the tissues’ water fraction. In most cases, our methodology proved sufficient in detecting structural changes, especially in the case of IR and malignancy. Useful specific dielectric response patterns are detected and correlated with each type of stress. Our results point towards the development of a dielectric-based methodology for better understanding and, in a relatively invasive way, the biological and structural changes effected by radiation and developing lung or prostate cancer often associated with genomic instability.

Response of Caenorhabditis elegans to wireless devices radiation exposure

Abstract Purpose: To examine the impact of electromagnetic radiation, produced by GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) mobile phones, Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity) routers and wireless DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) phones, on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Materials and methods: We exposed synchronized populations, of different developmental stages, to these wireless devices at E-field levels below ICNIRPs (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) guidelines for various lengths of time. WT (wild-type) and aging- or stress-sensitive mutant worms were examined for changes in growth, fertility, lifespan, chemotaxis, short-term memory, increased ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) production and apoptosis by using fluorescent marker genes or qRT-PCR (quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction). Results: No statistically significant differences were found between the exposed and the sham/control animals in any of the experiments concerning lifespan, fertility, growth, memory, ROS, apoptosis or gene expression. Conclusions: The worm appears to be robust to this form of (pulsed) radiation, at least under the exposure conditions used.

Hippocampal lipidome and transcriptome profile alterations triggered by acute exposure of mice to GSM 1800 MHz mobile phone radiation: An exploratory study

The widespread use of wireless devices during the last decades is raising concerns about adverse health effects of the radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF‐EMR) emitted from these devices. Recent research is focusing on unraveling the underlying mechanisms of RF‐EMR and potential cellular targets. The “omics” high‐throughput approaches are powerful tools to investigate the global effects of RF‐EMR on cellular physiology.