Effects of 4.9 GHz Radiofrequency Field Exposure on Brain Metabolomic and Proteomic Characterization in Mice

Abstract

Overview

Electromagnetic exposure has become increasingly widespread, and its biological effects have received extensive attention. The purpose of this study was to explore changes in the metabolism profile of the brain and serum and to identify differentially expressed proteins in the brain after exposure to the 4.9 GHz radiofrequency (RF) field.

Methodology

• C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into a Sham group and an RF group, which were sham-exposed and continuously exposed to a 4.9 RF field for 35 days, 1 hour daily, at an average power density (PD) of 50 W/m².
• Untargeted metabolomics and Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) quantitative proteomics were performed after exposure.

Findings

• 104 and 153 up- and down-regulated differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were found in the RF_Brain and RF_Serum groups, respectively.
• DEMs were significantly enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism.
• 10 up-regulated and 51 down-regulated differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were found in the RF group.
• Functional correlation analysis showed that most DEMs and DEPs were significantly correlated.

Conclusion

These results suggest that 4.9 GHz RF exposure induced disturbance of metabolism in the brain and serum, and caused deregulation of proteins in the brain. Importantly, this establishes a connection between 4.9 GHz electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure and disturbances in brain metabolism and protein regulation, underlining the potential for negative health effects related to EMF.

Simple Summary

The brain, being the central nervous system controlling sensory, behavioral, and mental symptoms, is sensitive to RF exposure. Numerous studies have explored potential health hazards of RF-EMR at different frequencies to the brain. Previous findings indicated that 4.9 GHz RF radiation induced depression-like behaviors in mice, but underlying mechanisms remained unclear. Studies have shown changes in peripheral energy metabolism may affect brain lipid levels and cortical excitability, and deregulated hippocampus proteome could influence healthy brain function. This study provides evidence that 4.9 GHz RF exposure alters metabolite expression patterns in brain tissue and serum, especially glycerophospholipid metabolism, and induces imbalance in protein profile in brain tissue, potentially affecting gap junction communication. These findings reveal biological effects of 5G communication frequency exposure and offer a possible mechanism for EMF-induced behavioral changes from both metabolomic and proteomic perspectives.