Non-Linear Adaptive Phenomena which Decrease the Risk of Infection after Pre-Exposure to Radiofrequency Radiation

Abstract

Substantial evidence indicates that adaptive response induced by low doses of ionizing radiation can result in resistance to the damage caused by a subsequently high-dose radiation or cause cross-resistance to other non-radiation stressors. Adaptive response contradicts the linear-non-threshold (LNT) dose-response model for ionizing radiation. We have previously reported that exposure of laboratory animals to radiofrequency radiation can induce a survival adaptive response. Furthermore, we have indicated that pre-exposure of mice to radiofrequency radiation emitted by a GSM mobile phone increased their resistance to a subsequent Escherichia coli infection. In this study, the survival rates in animals receiving both adapting (radiofrequency) and challenge dose (bacteria) and the animals receiving only the challenge dose (bacteria) were 56% and 20%, respectively. In this light, our findings contribute to the assumption that radiofrequency-induced adaptive response can be used as an efficient method for decreasing the risk of infection in immunosuppressed irradiated individuals. The implication of this phenomenon in human's long term stay in the space is also discussed.