Biological effects of in vitro THz radiation exposure in human foetal fibroblasts
Abstract
In recent years, terahertz (THz) radiation has been widely used in a variety of applications: medical, security, telecommunications and military areas. However, few data are available on the biological effects of this type of electromagnetic radiation and the reported results, using different genetic or cellular assays, are quite discordant. This multidisciplinary study focuses on potential genotoxic and cytotoxic effects, evaluated by several end-points, associated with THz radiation. For this purpose, in vitro exposure of human foetal fibroblasts to low frequency THz radiation (0.1-0.15THz) was performed using a Compact Free Electron Laser. We did not observe an induction of DNA damage evaluated by Comet assay, phosphorylation of H2AX histone or telomere length modulation. In addiction, no induction of apoptosis or changes in pro-survival signalling proteins were detected. Moreover, our results indicated an increase in the total number of micronuclei and centromere positive micronuclei induction evaluated by CREST analysis, indicating that THz radiation could induce aneugenic rather than clastogenic effects, probably leading to chromosome loss. Furthermore, an increase of actin polymerization observed by ultrastructural analysis after THz irradiation, supports the hypothesis that an abnormal assembly of spindle proteins could lead to the observed chromosomal malsegregation.
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Despite varied exposure models and methods, no statistically significant evidence of DNA damage was identified in comet assay studies of epithelial and skin cells.
“Despite the varied exposure models and methods used, no statistically significant evidence of DNA damage was identified in these studies.”
From 5G mobile networks and health—a state-of-the-science review of the research into low-level RF fields above 6 GHz (2021) · cites this paper as [18]
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Terahertz Electromagnetic Fields (0.106 THz) Do Not Induce Manifest Genomic Damage In Vitro
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Karipidis, K., Mate, R., Urban, D., Tinker, R., & Wood, A. (2021) · Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology · doi:10.1038/s41370-021-00297-6 · Cited by 150 · see citing works
- Authors
- Amicis, A. D., Sanctis, S. D., Cristofaro, S. D., Franchini, V., Lista, F., Regalbuto, E., Giovenale, E., Gallerano, G. P., Nenzi, P., Bei, R., Fantini, M., Benvenuto, M., Masuelli, L., Coluzzi, E., Cicia, C., & Sgura, A.
- Affiliations
- Ministry of Defence (IT)
- Roma Tre University (IT)
- National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (IT)
- University of Rome Tor Vergata (IT)
- Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Amicis, Andrea De
- ORCID
- Venue
- Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-11
- Volume
- 793
- Pages
- 150-160
- ISSN
- 1383-5718 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W641816674
- Cited by
- 62
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 3.02
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Cineca Institutional Research Information System (Tor Vergata University) (submittedVersion)
- IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) (submittedVersion)
- Iris (Roma Tre University) (submittedVersion)
- ENEA Open Archive (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Italian Ministry of Defence
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biophysics › Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Carcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Effects of Radiation Exposure
- Keywords
- terahertz radiation, genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, DNA damage, H2AX phosphorylation, telomere length, apoptosis, micronuclei, aneugenic effects, actin polymerization, free-electron laser
- MeSH terms
- Actins, Aneuploidy, Cell Survival, Cells, Cultured, Centromere, DNA Damage, Fibroblasts, Histones, Humans, Male, Phosphorylation, Apoptosis, Chromosome Segregation, Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective, Foreskin, Terahertz Radiation, In Vitro Techniques
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