Intestinal microbiota via NLRP3 inflammasome dependent neuronal pyroptosis mediates anxiety-like behaviour in mice exposed to 3.5 GHz radiofrequency radiation.

PAPER pubmed The Science of the total environment 2024 Animal study Effect: harm Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172391 PMID: 38608899 Evidence Lab

Abstract

The rapid development of 5G communication technology has increased public concern about the potential adverse effects on human health. Till now, the impacts of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) from 5G communication on the central nervous system and gut-brain axis are still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of 3.5 GHz (a frequency commonly used in 5G communication) RFR on neurobehavior, gut microbiota, and gut-brain axis metabolites in mice. The results showed that exposure to 3.5 GHz RFR at 50 W/m for 1 h over 35 d induced anxiety-like behaviour in mice, accompanied by NLRP3-dependent neuronal pyroptosis in CA3 region of the dorsal hippocampus. In addition, the microbial composition was widely divergent between the sham and RFR groups. 3.5 GHz RFR also caused changes in metabolites of feces, serum, and brain. The differential metabolites were mainly enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis. Further correlation analysis showed that gut microbiota dysbiosis was associated with differential metabolites. Based on the above results, we speculate that dysfunctional intestinal flora and metabolites may be involved in RFR-induced anxiety-like behaviour in mice through neuronal pyroptosis in the brain. The findings provide novel insights into the mechanism of 5G RFR-induced neurotoxicity.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Animal study

Effect direction

harm

Population

Mice

Sample size

—

Exposure

RF 5G (3.5 GHz) radiofrequency radiation · 3500 MHz · 1 h over 35 d

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 78% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

In mice, exposure to 3.5 GHz RFR at 50 W/m for 1 h over 35 days induced anxiety-like behaviour and was accompanied by NLRP3-dependent neuronal pyroptosis in the CA3 region of the dorsal hippocampus. The RFR group also showed divergent gut microbial composition versus sham and changes in fecal, serum, and brain metabolites, with differential metabolites enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis; correlations were reported between dysbiosis and differential metabolites.

Outcomes measured

Anxiety-like behaviour
NLRP3-dependent neuronal pyroptosis (CA3 region of dorsal hippocampus)
Gut microbiota composition (dysbiosis)
Metabolite changes in feces, serum, and brain
Pathway enrichment: glycerophospholipid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, arginine biosynthesis

Limitations

Sample size not reported in abstract
Specific exposure dosimetry beyond 50 W/m (e.g., SAR) not reported in abstract
Mechanistic interpretation is partly speculative (authors state they speculate about involvement of flora/metabolites)

Suggested hubs

5g-policy (0.62)
Study explicitly examines 3.5 GHz, a frequency commonly used in 5G communication, and discusses 5G-related health concerns.

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "5G (3.5 GHz) radiofrequency radiation",
        "frequency_mhz": 3500,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "1 h over 35 d"
    },
    "population": "Mice",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Anxiety-like behaviour",
        "NLRP3-dependent neuronal pyroptosis (CA3 region of dorsal hippocampus)",
        "Gut microbiota composition (dysbiosis)",
        "Metabolite changes in feces, serum, and brain",
        "Pathway enrichment: glycerophospholipid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, arginine biosynthesis"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In mice, exposure to 3.5 GHz RFR at 50 W/m for 1 h over 35 days induced anxiety-like behaviour and was accompanied by NLRP3-dependent neuronal pyroptosis in the CA3 region of the dorsal hippocampus. The RFR group also showed divergent gut microbial composition versus sham and changes in fecal, serum, and brain metabolites, with differential metabolites enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis; correlations were reported between dysbiosis and differential metabolites.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Sample size not reported in abstract",
        "Specific exposure dosimetry beyond 50 W/m (e.g., SAR) not reported in abstract",
        "Mechanistic interpretation is partly speculative (authors state they speculate about involvement of flora/metabolites)"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "5G",
        "3.5 GHz",
        "radiofrequency radiation",
        "RFR",
        "mice",
        "anxiety-like behaviour",
        "gut-brain axis",
        "gut microbiota",
        "metabolomics",
        "NLRP3 inflammasome",
        "neuronal pyroptosis",
        "hippocampus",
        "CA3"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "5g-policy",
            "weight": 0.61999999999999999555910790149937383830547332763671875,
            "reason": "Study explicitly examines 3.5 GHz, a frequency commonly used in 5G communication, and discusses 5G-related health concerns."
        }
    ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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