# RF-039 — Cell-specific γH2AX response with no sustained functional injury

Why this matters
In laboratory cultures, a DNA-related signal changed in two cell types, while additional tests did not find corresponding sustained damage or loss of function. This study helps distinguish an early cellular response from an adverse outcome, and shows why several complementary tests are needed before interpreting a positive marker.

Id: RF-039

Author: Xu et al.

Full Authors: Shanshan Xu; Guangdi Chen; Chunjing Chen; Chuan Sun; Danying Zhang; Manuel Murbach; Niels Kuster; Qunli Zeng; Zhengping Xu

Year: 2013

Title: Cell Type-Dependent Induction of DNA Damage by 1800 MHz Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields Does Not Result in Significant Cellular Dysfunctions

Journal: PLoS ONE

Citation: Shanshan Xu; Guangdi Chen; Chunjing Chen; Chuan Sun; Danying Zhang; Manuel Murbach; Niels Kuster; Qunli Zeng; Zhengping Xu. Cell Type-Dependent Induction of DNA Damage by 1800 MHz Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields Does Not Result in Significant Cellular Dysfunctions. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(1):e54906. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054906.

Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054906

Pmid: 23355902

Topic: DNA-damage signalling and cell susceptibility

Verification Group: Original text reviewed

Record Role: Original text reviewed

Featured: False

Exposure: 1,800 MHz GSM-like 217 Hz modulation; cell-monolayer SAR 3.0 W/kg for 1 or 24 h, 5 min on/10 min off. Dual R18 waveguides; sham isolation >60 dB; medium-specific dosimetry; air 37±0.1°C and culture temperature rise <0.1°C.

Design: Six cell types; blinded exposure and assay teams; approximately 200 cells/sample; at least four independent experiments for foci; 4NQO positive controls. Orthogonal DNA-damage and functional assays in human skin fibroblasts.

Finding: After 24 h, γH2AX foci increased in Chinese hamster lung and human skin fibroblasts, but not four other cell types. Comet, TUNEL, proliferation and viability did not show corresponding sustained abnormalities in fibroblasts.

Statistics: Mean foci/cell: CHL 4.30±0.37 versus 3.10±0.30, P=.022; fibroblasts 6.21±0.44 versus 4.54±0.22, P=.011. A small cell-cycle shift at 6 h was absent at 12 h; ROS increase was nonsignificant.

Boundary: γH2AX marks DNA-damage signalling; it does not establish irreversible strand breakage or clinical injury. Multiple assays and small replicate counts; downstream functional effects were largely absent.

Related: Zhejiang University/IT'IS study, distinct from Vienna REFLEX RF-016. ETH repository DOI 10.3929/ethz-b-000064177 is a version of the same work.

Protection Question: When does DNA-damage signalling indicate lasting injury? The lack of corresponding sustained abnormalities in other assays makes this a cell-specific response question rather than an established genotoxic disease mechanism.

Access: Original full methods, results and supplemental descriptions reviewed through PMC XML; Scite abstract and metadata corroborated.

Locator: Exposure System; Cell Exposure Protocol; Figure 1; Figures 2-6; Figure S1; Funding Statement.

Notice: No editorial notice surfaced in the Scite/primary-record checks used for this record; this is not a comprehensive clean-bill certification.

Funding: Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology 2011CB503702; NSFC 81102094/30872082; Zhejiang 5Y205458; doctoral and central-university grants; author career awards. Funders reported no role.

Conflicts: Authors declare no competing interests. IT'IS/Zurich dosimetry coauthors participated.

Source Url: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054906

Retrieval Links: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054906 | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3552808/ | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23355902/

Verification Date: 2026-10-20