Micronuclei in the peripheral blood and bone marrow cells of rats exposed to 2450 MHz radiofrequency radiation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of micronuclei in peripheral blood and bone marrow cells of rats exposed continuously for 24h to 2450 MHz continuous wave radiofrequency radiation (RFR) at an average whole-body specific absorption rate (SAR) of 12W/kg.


METHODS
Eight adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 2450 MHz RFR in circularly polarized waveguides. Eight sham-exposed rats were kept in similar waveguides without the transmission of RFR. Four rats were treated with mitomycin-C (MMC) and used as positive controls. All rats were necropsied 24h after the end of RFR and sham exposures, and after the 24h treatment with MMC. Peripheral blood and bone marrow smears were examined to determine the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE).


RESULTS
The results indicated that the incidence of MN/2000 PCE were not significantly different between RFR- and sham-exposed rats. The group mean frequencies of MN in the peripheral blood were 2.3+/-0.7 in RFR-exposed rats and 2.1+/-0.6 in sham-exposed rats. In bone marrow cells, the average MN incidence was 3.8+/-1.0 in RFR-exposed rats and 3.4+/-0.7 in sham-exposed rats. The corresponding values in positive control rats treated with MMC were 23.5+/-4.7 in the peripheral blood and 33.8+/-7.4 in bone marrow cells.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no evidence for the induction of MN in peripheral blood and bone marrow cells of rats exposed for 24h to 2450 MHz continuous wave RFR at a whole body average SAR of 12 W/kg.
Vijayalaxmi
Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Environmental Radiation Toxicology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. vijay@uthscsa.edu
Pickard
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Bisht
K S
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Prihoda
T J
TJ
Meltz
M L
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LaRegina
M C
MC
Roti Roti
J L
JL
Straube
W L
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Moros
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D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D011846:Radio Waves; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley