In vitro assessment of clastogenicity of mobile-phone radiation (835 MHz) using the alkaline comet assay and chromosomal aberration test.
Recently we demonstrated that 835-MHz radiofrequency radiation electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) neither affected the reverse mutation frequency nor accelerated DNA degradation in vitro. Here, two kinds of cytogenetic endpoints were further investigated on mammalian cells exposed to 835-MHz RF-EMF (the most widely used communication frequency band in Korean CDMA mobile phone networks) alone and in combination with model clastogens: in vitro alkaline comet assay and in vitro chromosome aberration (CA) test. No direct cytogenetic effect of 835-MHz RF-EMF was found in the in vitro CA test. The combined exposure of the cells to RF-EMF in the presence of ethylmethanesulfonate (EMS) revealed a weak and insignificant cytogenetic effect when compared to cells exposed to EMS alone in CA test. Also, the comet assay results to evaluate the ability of RF-EMF alone to damage DNA were nearly negative, although showing a small increase in tail moment. However, the applied RF-EMF had potentiation effect in comet assay when administered in combination with model clastogens (cyclophosphamide or 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide). Thus, our results imply that we cannot confidently exclude any possibility of an increased risk of genetic damage, with important implications for the possible health effects of exposure to 835-MHz electromagnetic fields.
Kim
Ji-Young
JY
The Korea Institute of Toxicology, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, P.O. Box 123, Yusong, Daejeon 305-600, Korea.
Hong
Sae-Yong
SY
Lee
Young-Mi
YM
Yu
Shin-Ae
SA
Koh
Woo Suk
WS
Hong
Joong-Rak
JR
Son
Taeho
T
Chang
Sung-Keun
SK
Lee
Michael
M
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D040421:Cell Phone; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D020552:Comet Assay; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D051379:Mice