RF Safe comments on a 2025 PNAS Nexus study (Jyoti et al., 2025) reporting no detectable changes in gene expression or methylation in 5G millimeter-wave–exposed human skin cells. The post argues that this “null” result does not indicate biological inertness, but instead supports the site’s proposed “dual-pillar” framework in which effects depend on cell-specific cofactor density and frequency-window/coupling conditions. It contrasts skin-cell findings with claims about rapid blood (RBC) effects from smartphone exposure, presenting this as consistent with differential susceptibility across tissues.

This review summarizes studies reporting radiofrequency radiation (RFR)-associated changes in gene expression across biological systems. Reported affected genes relate to cellular stress responses, oxidative processes, apoptosis, DNA damage detection/repair, protein repair, and neural function regulation. The authors highlight reported gene expression effects at or below 0.4 W/kg SAR and argue this challenges current guideline assumptions, while noting that not all studies find significant effects.

This in vitro study exposed pig conceptuses (days 15–16 of pregnancy) to 50 Hz ELF-EMF for 2 hours and assessed transcriptomic and DNA methylation changes. The authors report altered expression of 21 protein-coding transcripts and an approximately 16-fold increase in genomic DNA methylation, with promoter methylation changes in several named genes. They conclude ELF-EMF interacts with gene expression and DNA methylation processes during early development and call for further safety research.

This animal study examined repeated asymmetrical head exposure to a 5G-modulated 3.5 GHz signal in adult male mice for six weeks. It reports no significant changes in locomotion, anxiety, or object-based memory performance under the tested conditions. However, it found statistically significant but limited cortical gene expression changes (<1% of expressed genes), including enrichment for glutamatergic synapse-related genes and lateralized differences involving mitochondrial genome-encoded genes. The authors caution that potential health risks from these intracortical transcriptomic modifications should not be downplayed and note uncertainties about longer exposures and other populations.

This animal study exposed juvenile and young adult Wistar rats to 5G (3.5 GHz) or 2G (900 MHz) radiofrequency fields (1.5 V/m) for 1–2 weeks and measured brown adipose tissue-related gene expression by RT-qPCR. The abstract reports significant downregulation of PRDM16 and C/EBP mRNA after 5G exposure, while UCP1-dependent thermogenesis markers were not significantly changed at the transcriptional level. The authors interpret these findings as a potential partial disruption of brown adipocyte differentiation and raise EMF safety concerns, while calling for further confirmatory research.

This in vitro study examined effects of moderate static magnetic field exposure on sympathetic neuron-like PC12 cells. The authors report a significant reduction in voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channel current density after 18 hours of exposure, with the reduction persisting after the field was removed. RNA sequencing identified 37 SMF-sensitive genes and pathway analyses suggested upregulation of signaling associated with reduced neuronal excitability.