Mobile Telephony EMFs Effects on Insect Ovarian Cells. The Necessity for Real Exposures Bioactivity Assessment. The Key Role of Polarization, and the “Ion Forced-Oscillation Mechanism”

Exposure of Drosophila melanogaster young adult insects to Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)/Radiation (EMR) emitted by an active GSM (Global System for Mobile telecommunications) mobile phone handset during a usual “talk” operation for a few minutes daily for 2–5 days, revealed an impressive decrease (up to 57%) in reproductive capacity (fecundity) (Panagopoulos et al. 2004). That effect directed us to focus our next studies on the effects of this type of EMF/EMR on the DNA and proteins of the insect’s reproductive cells (gametes). More specifically, we focused on the effects on the female ovarian cells. We used the TUNEL (Terminal deoxynucleotide transferase dUTP Nick End Labeling) assay, to detect fragmented DNA in the ovarian cells. Moreover, we used the Rhodamine-conjugated Phalloidin staining assay, to detect possible damage in the actin cytoskeleton of the ovarian cells. We found a high degree of DNA fragmentation in the nuclei of ovarian cells of the exposed insects (up to +55% compared to the sham-exposed insects) (Panagopoulos et al. 2007a). The DNA fragmentation was highly dependent on the intensity of radiation (distance from the handset) and was found to be maximum for intensities higher than 250 μW/cm2 (in close proximity with the handset) and within a “window” around 10 μW/cm2 (at 20–30 cm distance from the handset) (Panagopoulos et al. 2010). The DNA fragmentation in the nuclei of the exposed ovarian cells was found to be accompanied by actin cytoskeleton damage (Chavdoula et al. 2010). These effects caused a destruction of a significant percentage of egg chambers in the ovaries of the exposed females (Panagopoulos 2012a). New data (Panagopoulos et al. 2015a, b) suggest that the continuous and unpredictable variability of the mobile telephony signals, in combination with the fact that they are totally polarized (just like every type of man-made EMF), and the inclusion of Extremely Low Frequencies (ELF) - due to pulsing and modulation of the microwave carrier - in all modern mobile telecommunication microwave signals, constitute the main reasons for their intense bioactivity. A significant opposition is found between the results of experimental studies employing real exposures of biological samples from commercially available mobile phones, and the results of studies employing simulated exposures from generators or “test” phones as suggested by health authorities (Health Protection Agency 2012; IARC 2013). While experimental studies employing simulated EMF-emissions present a strong inconsistency among their results with nearly 50% of them reporting no effects, studies employing real-life emissions demonstrate an almost 100% consistency in showing adverse effects (Panagopoulos et al. 2015a). Finally, in the present chapter we show why polarized (man-made) EMFs are significantly more bioactive than natural (unpolarized) ones, and we describe the “Ion Forced-Oscillation Mechanism” for the action of polarized EMFs on biological systems.