Genetic profiling of rat gliomas and cardiac schwannomas from life-time radiofrequency radiation exposure study using a targeted next-generation sequencing gene panel
Brooks et al. · 2024 · PLOS ONE
The reported finding
Targeted 23-gene panel found some rat tumour variants homologous to human cancer variants; canonical human IDH1 R132/IDH2 R172 hotspots were absent. Morphology and mutation profiles inform translation, not proof that RF caused the mutations.
Reading it carefully
Same bioassay, not independent cancer replication; small spontaneous-tumour comparator; targeted panel, not whole genome; no dose-related interim non-tumour mutation frequency.
Inside the study
Exposure conditions
Reuses RI 1.8 GHz lifetime tissues from RF-002 and one-year interim exposed non-tumour brain samples; 0/5/25/50 V/m. The 2024 methods print 1.001 W/kg, inconsistent with RF-002's 0.001 W/kg for the lowest exposed group. No published correction to that SAR detail was verified.
RF-002 tissue follow-up; RI/NIEHS collaboration. Count once as cohort.
The protection question raised
How closely do these rat tumours resemble human cancers? Molecular comparisons can inform translation, while species differences and reused tissues prevent a new incidence finding or proof that RF caused particular mutations.
Source verification
Publisher full original methods/results/discussion, funding and 2026 correction reviewed; Scite flags correction.
Correction dated 2026-04-02 (10.1371/journal.pone.0346498) replaces Fig 4 and changes interim-sample variant counts to at least 15/30 (50%) and 11/30 (37%). Not retracted.
Funding
NIEHS/DNTP intramural support and Children with Cancer UK; no competing interests declared; funders no role.
Conflicts of interest
Authors declare no conflicts or competing interests, as documented in the retrieved source disclosure.
Original publication
Brooks AM, Vornoli A, Kovi RC, Ton TVT, Xu M, Mashal A, Tibaldi E, Gnudi F, Li JL, Sills RC, Bucher JR, Mandrioli D, Belpoggi F, Pandiri AR. Genetic profiling of rat gliomas and cardiac schwannomas from life-time radiofrequency radiation exposure study using a targeted next-generation sequencing gene panel. PLOS ONE. 2024;19(1):e0296699. Correction: PLOS ONE. 2026;21(4):e0346498. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0296699.