Wetenschappelijk nieuws

Early-Stage Placental Tissue Altered by Cell Phone Radiation

 

Proteomic Analysis on the Alteration of Protein Expression in the Early-Stage Placental Villous Tissue of Electromagnetic Fields Associated With Cell Phone Exposure


Conclusion: Cell phone EMF might alter the protein profile of chorionic tissue of early pregnancy, during the most sensitive stage of the embryos. The exposure to EMF may cause adverse effects on cell proliferation and development of nervous system in early embryos. Furthermore, 2-DE coupled with mass spectrometry is a promising approach to elucidate the effects and search for new biomarkers for environmental toxic effects.

 

Luo Q, Jiang Y, Jin M, Xu J, Huang HF. Proteomic Analysis on the Alteration of Protein Expression in the Early-Stage Placental Villous Tissue of Electromagnetic Fields Associated With Cell Phone Exposure. Reprod Sci. 2013 Feb 18. [Epub ahead of print]


Source

Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetic, Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory, Hangzhou, China.

Abstract

Background: To explore the possible adverse effects and search for cell phone electromagnetic field (EMF)-responsive proteins in human early reproduction, a proteomics approach was employed to investigate the changes in protein expression profile induced by cell phone EMF in human chorionic tissues of early pregnancy in vivo.

Methods: Volunteer women about 50 days pregnant were exposed to EMF at the average absorption rate of 1.6 to 8.8 W/kg for 1 hour with the irradiation device placed 10 cm away from the umbilicus at the midline of the abdomen. The changes in protein profile were examined using 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE).

Results: Up to 15 spots have yielded significant change at least 2- to 2.5-folds up or down compared to sham-exposed group. Twelve proteins were identified- procollagen-proline, eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 delta, chain D crystal structure of human vitamin D-binding protein, thioredoxin-like 3, capping protein, isocitrate dehydrogenase 3 alpha, calumenin, Catechol-O-methyltransferase protein, proteinase inhibitor 6 (PI-6; SerpinB6) protein, 3,2-trans-enoyl-CoA isomerase protein, chain B human erythrocyte 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase, and nucleoprotein.

Conclusion: Cell phone EMF might alter the protein profile of chorionic tissue of early pregnancy, during the most sensitive stage of the embryos. The exposure to EMF may cause adverse effects on cell proliferation and development of nervous system in early embryos. Furthermore, 2-DE coupled with mass spectrometry is a promising approach to elucidate the effects and search for new biomarkers for environmental toxic effects.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23420827


Exposure System


The lower abdomens of the women were exposed to EMW emitted from a commercially available cellular telephone as previously described 11 with the central station of the radiation in the navel region. Briefly, the cellular telephone was in talk mode (Sony Ericsson w300; service provider China Mobile; GSM-Global System for Mobile communications network; 900 MHz frequency; maximum power < 1 W; SAR 1.46 W/kg). This phone model had an antenna placed on the top back of its handset. The distance between the phone antenna and the abdomen was kept at 2.5 cm. In PR China, the most common frequency is 850 to 900 that was used in the present study. The duration of exposure was 20 minutes. The duration was selected according to our pre-experiment. We found significant changes in 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) protein maps with 20 and 40 minutes exposure; however, no significant changes were found with 5 or 10 minutes exposure. To date, the animal studies demonstrated that exposure to RF-EMF in that power and duration does not increase the incidence or promote the development of tumor or have significant toxic effects. 15

The women in control group were exposed to the same exposure system with the cellular telephone in power-off state.

Peak power density was used to evaluate the reference level of exposure according to the International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the Federal Communications Commission and it is a commonly used term for characterizing an RF-EMF (ICNIRP. 1998). In the present study, the power density was monitored during basal condition (no cell phone radiation) and experimental condition (cell phone in talk mode). Power density in the control condition was 0.01 to 0.1 mW/cm2 and was 1 to 40 mW/cm2 in the experimental condition.

http://rsx.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/02/12/1933719112473660.long