The effects of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields on T cell function during development

With the widespread use of radio-frequency devices,it is increasingly important to understand the biological effects of the associated electromagnetic fields. thus,we investigated the effects of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (rf-emf) on t cell responses during development due to the lack of science-based evidence for rf-emf effects on developmental immune systems. sprague dawley (sd) rats were exposed to 2.14-ghz wideband code division multiple-access (w-cdma) rf signals at a whole-body specific absorption rate (sar) of 0.2 w/kg. exposures were performed for a total of 9 weeks spanning in utero development,lactation and the juvenile period. rats were continuously exposed to rf-emf for 20 h/day,7 days/week. comparisons of control and exposed rats using flow cytometry revealed no changes in the numbers of cd4/cd8 t cells,activated t cells or regulatory t cells among peripheral blood cells,splenocytes and thymocytes. expression levels of 16 genes that regulate the immunological th1/th2 paradigm were analyzed using real-time pcr in the spleen and thymus tissues of control and rf-emf-exposed rats. although only the il5 gene was significantly regulated in spleen tissues,il4,il5 and il23a genes were significantly upregulated in thymus tissues following exposure to rf-emf. however,elisas showed no changes in serum il-4 protein concentrations. these data indicate no adverse effects of long-term rf-emf exposure on immune-like t cell populations,t cell activation,or th1/th2 balance in developing rats,although significant transcriptional effects were observed. © 2015 the author.