Influence of 1.8-GHz (GSM) radiofrequency radiation (RFR) on DNA damage and repair induced by X-rays in human leukocytes in vitro

In the present study, the in vitro comet assay was used to determine whether 1.8-GHz radiofrequency radiation (RFR) can influence DNA repair in human leukocytes exposed to X-rays. The specific energy absorption rate (SAR) of 2 W/kg (the current European safety limit) was applied. The leukocytes from four young healthy donors were intermittently exposed to RFR for 24 h (fields on for 5 min, fields off for 10 min), and then irradiated with X-rays at doses of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 Gy. DNA damage to human leukocytes was detected using the comet assay at 0, 15, 45, 90, 150 and 240 min after exposure to X-rays. Using the comet assay, the percent of DNA in the tail (% tail DNA) served as the indicator of DNA damage; the DNA repair percentage (DRP) served as the indicator of the DNA repair speed. The results demonstrated that (1) the DNA repair speeds of human leukocytes after X-ray exposure exhibited individual differences among the four donors; (2) the intermittent exposures of 1.8-GHz RFR at the SAR of 2 W/kg for 24 h did not directly induce DNA damage or exhibit synergistic effects with X-rays on human leukocytes.