Studying the synergistic damage effects induced by 1.8 GHz radiofrequency field radiation (RFR) with four chemical mutagens on human lymphocyte DNA using comet assay in vitro

Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to study the synergistic DNA damage effects in human lymphocytes induced by 1.8 GHz radiofrequency field radiation (RFR, SAR of 3 W/kg) with four chemical mutagens, i.e. mitomycin C (MMC, DNA crosslinker), bleomycin (BLM, radiomimetic agent), methyl methanesulfonate (MMS, alkylating agent), and 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO, UV-mimetic agent). The DNA damage of lymphocytes exposed to RFR and/or with chemical mutagens was detected at two incubation time (0 or 21 h) after treatment with comet assay in vitro. Three combinative exposure ways were used. Cells were exposed to RFR and chemical mutagens for 2 and 3 h, respectively. Tail length (TL) and tail moment (TM) were utilized as DNA damage indexes. The results showed no difference of DNA damage indexes between RFR group and control group at 0 and 21 h incubation after exposure ( P > 0.05). There were significant difference of DNA damage indexes between MMC group and RFR + MMC co-exposure group at 0 and 21 h incubation after treatment ( P < 0.01). Also the significant difference of DNA damage indexes between 4NQO group and RFR + 4NQO co-exposure group at 0 and 21 h incubation after treatment was observed ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The DNA damage in RFR + BLM co-exposure groups and RFR + MMS co-exposure groups was not significantly increased, as compared with corresponding BLM and MMS groups ( P > 0.05). The experimental results indicated 1.8 GHz RFR (SAR, 3 W/kg) for 2 h did not induce the human lymphocyte DNA damage effects in vitro, but could enhance the human lymphocyte DNA damage effects induced by MMC and 4NQO. The synergistic DNA damage effects of 1.8 GHz RFR with BLM or MMS were not obvious.