Effects of mobile phone radiation on UV-induced skin tumourigenesis in ornithine decarboxylase transgenic and non-transgenic mice.
OBJECTIVE
The effects of low-level radiofrequency radiation (RFR) on ultraviolet (UV)-induced skin tumorigenesis were evaluated in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and non-transgenic mice.


METHODS
Transgenic female mice over-expressing the human ODC gene and their non-transgenic littermates (20 animals in the cage control group, and 45-49 animals in the other groups) were exposed for 52 weeks to UV radiation or a combination of UV radiation and pulsed RFR. The UV dose was 240 Jm(-2) (1.2 x human minimum erythemal dose) delivered three times a week. One group of animals was exposed to Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System (DAMPS)-type RFR, the other group to Global System for Mobile (GSM)-type RFR at a nominal average specific absorption rate of 0.5 W kg(-1), 1.5 h day(-1), for 5 days a week. The skin was carefully palpated weekly for macroscopic tumours. Histopathological analyses of all skin lesions and of a specified dorsal skin area were performed on all animals.


RESULTS
UV exposure resulted in development of macroscopic skin tumours in 11.5 and 36.8% of non-transgenic and transgenic animals, respectively. The RFR exposures did not give a statistically significant effect on the development of skin tumours in either transgenic or non-transgenic animals, or in combined analysis, but tumour development appeared slightly accelerated especially in non-transgenic animals. No effects of RFR exposures were found on excretion of 6-hydroxymelatonin sulphate into urine or on polyamine levels in dorsal skin.


CONCLUSIONS
RFR exposures did not significantly enhance skin tumourigenesis. However, the slightly accelerated tumour development may warrant further evaluation.
Heikkinen
P
P
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Kuopio, Finland.
Kosma
V-M
VM
Alhonen
L
L
Huuskonen
H
H
Komulainen
H
H
Kumlin
T
T
Laitinen
J T
JT
Lang
S
S
Puranen
L
L
Juutilainen
J
J
D000818:Animals; D015317:Biogenic Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism; D040421:Cell Phone; D003043:Cocarcinogenesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011846:Radio Waves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects
D015317:Biogenic Polyamines; C054513:6-sulfatoxymelatonin; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; D008550:Melatonin