# WEB-001 — Cell-signalling changes under a 5G-modulated 3.5 GHz signal

Why this matters
Understanding how new signals interact with living cells starts with measured responses. This experiment found selected changes in stress signalling, with substantial variation across conditions that makes the finding a lead for follow-up.

Id: WEB-001

Author: Joushomme et al.

Full Authors: Alexandre Joushomme; Rosa Orlacchio; Lorenza Patrignoni; Anne Canovi; Yann Loïck Chappe; Florence Poulletier De Gannes; Annabelle Hurtier; André Garenne; Isabelle Lagroye; François Moisan; Muriel Cario; Philippe Lévêque; Delia Arnaud-Cormos; Yann Percherancier

Year: 2023

Title: Effects of 5G-modulated 3.5 GHz radiofrequency field exposures on HSF1, RAS, ERK, and PML activation in live fibroblasts and keratinocytes cells

Journal: Scientific reports

Citation: Alexandre Joushomme; Rosa Orlacchio; Lorenza Patrignoni; Anne Canovi; Yann Loïck Chappe; Florence Poulletier De Gannes; Annabelle Hurtier; André Garenne; Isabelle Lagroye; François Moisan; Muriel Cario; Philippe Lévêque; Delia Arnaud-Cormos; Yann Percherancier. Effects of 5G-modulated 3.5 GHz radiofrequency field exposures on HSF1, RAS, ERK, and PML activation in live fibroblasts and keratinocytes cells. Scientific reports. 2023. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-35397-w.

Doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-35397-w

Pmid: 37221363

Topic: 5G-modulated signals; Skin-cell signalling

Verification Group: Original text reviewed

Record Role: Original text reviewed

Featured: False

Exposure: 5G-modulated 3.5 GHz; SAR 0.25, 1 or 4 W/kg; 24 h continuously or 5 min on/10 min off; temperature compensated around 37°C.

Design: Human fibroblast and keratinocyte cultures; sham comparisons; BRET signalling assays, with and without chemical stressors.

Finding: Selected lower-SAR fibroblast conditions reduced basal HSF1 signal; continuous exposure slightly reduced arsenic-triggered PML SUMOylation. Other signalling results varied across cell type and condition.

Statistics: See reported finding and original tables; effect sizes not independently recalculated.

Boundary: Mixed, non-monotonic results and many comparisons. Authors found no conclusive overall molecular effect; the selected responses do not demonstrate injury. Correct first author: Joushomme, not Pooam.

Related:  Related 2025 co-exposure follow-up: DOI 10.1002/bem.70026. No marked network/ROS effect at 1/4 W/kg; small RAS/PML variations were inconsistent. Different protocol, not an exact replication.

Protection Question: Which exposure conditions and biological models reproduce this response, and what would establish its relevance to health?

Access: Original methods/results sections reviewed; no independent raw-data or supplement audit.

Locator: Original results/methods sections

Notice: Linked notice fields in retrieved Europe PMC/PubMed records checked 21 October 2026; no correction or retraction surfaced there. Publisher-history and forward-citation screening are not exhaustive.

Funding: Funding The research leading to these results received funding from the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) under grant agreement EST-19 RF-18 (the 5G-SAMU project), and from the New Aquitaine regional council under grant agreement AAPR2020A- 2019-8140010 (The PHYSTRIG project).

Conflicts: Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests.

Source Url: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35397-w

Retrieval Links: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35397-w | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37221363/ | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10203668/ | https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.70026

Verification Date: 2026-10-21

Discovery Id: EML-5G-001

Technology Tracks: 5g

Technology Connection: Actual 5G-modulated laboratory signal, with mixed exploratory molecular responses; not demonstrated harm.

Publication Type: Original journal research

Study Setting: Cells / isolated tissue

Browse Categories: cells