Mobile phone radiation might alter gene expression in the oral squamous epithelial cells

Abstract

Background: Accumulating evidence has shown that radiofrequency radiation (RFR) emitted by mobile phones is a potential factor for DNA damage. Whether RFR affects the gene expression of human genes still requires further research. This may help in understanding the mechanisms of action of this radiation. On the assumption that expression of BAMBI and Survivin in the oral squamous epithelial cells might be modified in response to RF electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure, the current study was conducted on a group of young university student volunteers. Results: Statistical analysis of the RT-PCR data indicated that no significant association (P value ˃ 0.05) exists between the expression of either gene, and neither the length of history nor the frequency of the phone use. Conclusions: Although no clear RF-EMF signature on gene expression could be detected in this in this preliminary study, it is one of the few studies indicating that molecular-level changes might take place in humans in response to chronic mobile phone EMR exposure. Further investigations in this field are warranted.