Cited by 73Electromagnetic Fields and Biological EffectsMagnetic and Electromagnetic EffectsEffects of Radiation Exposure

Human-made electromagnetic fields: ion forced-oscillation and voltage-gated ion channel dysfunction, oxidative stress and DNA damage (review)

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Panagopoulos, Dimitris, Karabarbounis, Andreas, Yakymenko, Igor, Chrousos, George·2021·International Journal of Oncology

Abstract

Exposure of animals/biological samples to human‑made electromagnetic fields (EMFs), especially in the extremely low frequency (ELF) band, and the microwave/radio frequency (RF) band which is always combined with ELF, may lead to DNA damage. DNA damage is connected with cell death, infertility and other pathologies, including cancer. ELF exposure from high‑voltage power lines and complex RF exposure from wireless communication antennas/devices are linked to increased cancer risk. Almost all human‑made RF EMFs include ELF components in the form of modulation, pulsing and random variability. Thus, in addition to polarization and coherence, the existence of ELFs is a common feature of almost all human‑made EMFs. The present study reviews the DNA damage and related effects induced by human‑made EMFs. The ion forced‑oscillation mechanism for irregular gating of voltage‑gated ion channels on cell membranes by polarized/coherent EMFs is extensively described. Dysfunction of ion channels disrupts intracellular ionic concentrations, which determine the cell's electrochemical balance and homeostasis. The present study shows how this can result in DNA damage through reactive oxygen species/free radical overproduction. Thus, a complete picture is provided of how human‑made EMF exposure may indeed lead to DNA damage and related pathologies, including cancer. Moreover, it is suggested that the non‑thermal biological effects attributed to RF EMFs are actually due to their ELF components.

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Crossref · 10.3892/ijo.2021.5272

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  • Magnetic fields at these frequencies have the potential to disturb intracellular ionic concentrations, which can indirectly affect neural activity and cellular homeostasis.

    “In addition to this, magnetic fields at these frequencies have the potential to disturb intracellular ionic concentrations, which can indirectly affect neural activity and cellular homeostasis (Kletetschka et al., 2021; Panagopoulos et al., 2021).”

    From Comparative analysis of energy transfer mechanisms for neural implants (2024) · cites this paper as Panagopoulos et al., 2021

    Section 3 (page unavailable) says irregular ion-channel gating by oscillating electromagnetic fields can alter intracellular ion concentrations and disrupt cellular electrochemical balance; Section 2 links that gating to disrupted cellular homeostasis. But Section 4 identifies electric fields, or magnetically induced electric fields during sudden pulses, rather than magnetic fields themselves as the bioactive component. The cited passages do not specifically establish an effect on neural activity. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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2 retracted

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3 of the 241 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [148]Stryer L Biochemistry 4th edition Freeman WH Freeman and Company New York, NY 1995
  2. [156]Penafiel LM Litovitz T Krause D Desta A Mullins JM Role of modulation on the effect of microwaves on ornithine decarboxylase activity in L929 cells Bioelectromagnetics 18 132 141 1997 10.1002/(SICI)1521-186X(1997)18:2<132::AID-BEM6>3.0.CO;2-3 9084864 · DOI
  3. [218]Sandipan C Baron C Basic mechanisms of voltage sensing Handbook of Ion Channels Zheng J Trudeau MC CRC Press London 25 39 2015

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Authors
Panagopoulos, D., Karabarbounis, A., Yakymenko, I., & Chrousos, G.
Affiliations
  • National Centre of Scientific Research "Demokritos" (GR)
  • National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR)
  • National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (UA)
Corresponding author
Panagopoulos, Dimitris
Venue
International Journal of Oncology
Published
2021-10-06
Volume
59
Issue
5
ISSN
  • 1019-6439 (ISSN-L)
  • 1791-2423
OpenAlex
W3204408751
Cited by
73
References
241
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 1
FWCI
1.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc-nd
Locations
  • International Journal of Oncology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (16599)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biophysics › Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Physiology › Magnetic and Electromagnetic Effects
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Effects of Radiation Exposure
Keywords
extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields, radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, DNA damage, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, voltage-gated ion channels, non-thermal biological effects, cancer risk, power transmission lines, wireless devices
MeSH terms
Animals, DNA Damage, Electromagnetic Fields, Humans, Ion Channel Gating, Reactive Oxygen Species, Oxidative Stress

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