Medical/biological Study (experimental study)

Electromagnetic fields (900 MHz) evoke consistent molecular responses in tomato plants. med./biol.

Journal web site

Aim of study (according to editor)
To study whether short exposure (10 minutes) of a plant to a low level radiofrequency electromagnetic field, similar to that used in mobile phones, could evoke a rapid biological response at the molecular level in tomato plants.
Background/further details:
In order to determine if there was a dose response relationship between electromagnetic fields applied and the amount of transcript accumulated, plants were also exposed at others doses and durations.
Leaf tissue was harvested at 15, 30, and 60 minutes after exposure (in some experiments also immediately and after 5 minutes).

Endpoint

• stress response of tomato

Exposure
General category: mobile communication system, GSM

Field characteristics	Parameters
field 1: 900 MHz continuous wave (CW) exposure duration: continuous for 10 min	electric field strength: 5 V/m (average signal amplitude of a GSM phone) electric field strength: 40 V/m (close to the French legal emission limit)
field 2: 900 MHz continuous wave (CW) exposure duration: continuous for 2 min	electric field strength: 5 V/m (average signal amplitude of a GSM phone)

Exposed system:
plant (species/strain): tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)/VFN8
whole body exposure

Methods
Endpoint/Measurement parameters/Methodology

• molecular biosynthesis: accumulation of two transcripts (calmodulin, protease inhibitor and chloroplast mRNA-binding protein; quantitative RT-PCR)
• others: stress response of tomato (see "molecular biosynthesis")

Main outcome of study (according to author)
Exposure to the electromagnetic fields induced a biphasic response, in which the levels of all three transcripts increased four- to six-fold 15 min. after the end of exposure, dropped closely to initial levels after 30 min., and then increased again at 60 min. after exposure. Although not identical, the kinetics and amplitudes of the transcripts showed striking similarities with physiologic responses following injurious treatments. Thus, the authors propose that radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure may constitute an environmental stimulus for the tomato plants.

(Study character: medical/biological study, experimental study, full/main study)

Study funded by

• Ministère délégué à l'Enseignement supérieur et à la Recherche (Ministry of National Education and Research), France

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