Radiofrequency EMF irradiation effects on pre-B lymphocytes undergoing somatic recombination

• Published in: Scientific reports 2021-06, Vol.11 (1), p.12651-12651, Article 12651
• Main Authors: Ioniţă, Elena, Marcu, Aurelian, Temelie, Mihaela, Savu, Diana, Şerbănescu, Mihai, Ciubotaru, Mihai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/250; 631/337; 631/57; 692/499; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Developmental stages; DNA; DNA damage; Electromagnetic fields; Histones; Humanities and Social Sciences; Irradiation; Low frequency; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes B; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); V(D)J recombination; Waves
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91790-3

Intense electromagnetic fields (EMFs) induce DNA double stranded breaks (DSBs) in exposed lymphocytes.We study developing pre-B lymphocytes following V(D)J recombination at their Immunoglobulin light chain loci ( IgL ). Recombination physiologically induces DNA DSBs, and we tested if low doses of EMF irradiation affect this developmental stage. Recombining pre-B cells, were exposed for 48 h to low intensity EMFs (maximal radiative power density flux S of 9.5 µW/cm 2 and electric field intensity 3 V/m) from waves of frequencies ranging from 720 to 1224 MHz. Irradiated pre-B cells show decreased levels of recombination, reduction which is dependent upon the power dose and most remarkably upon the frequency of the applied EMF. Although 50% recombination reduction cannot be obtained even for an S of 9.5 µW/cm 2 in cells irradiated at 720 MHz, such an effect is reached in cells exposed to only 0.45 µW/cm 2 power with 950 and 1000 MHz waves. A maximal four-fold recombination reduction was measured in cells exposed to 1000 MHz waves with S from 0.2 to 4.5 µW/cm 2 displaying normal levels of γH2AX phosphorylated histone. Our findings show that developing B cells exposure to low intensity EMFs can affect the levels of production and diversity of their antibodies repertoire.