While the potential health effects of RF-EMF exposure have been widely studied, evidence for adverse outcomes remains inconclusive. In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified RF-EMF as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B), based on limited epidemiological evidence linking mobile phone use to glioma and acoustic neuroma. Beyond carcinogenicity, several studies have suggested potential associations with neurological, reproductive, and other non-specific physiological effects, as well as oxidative stress responses. However, inconsistencies among experimental and epidemiological findings have prevented the establishment of a clear scientific consensus. Moreover, the underlying biological mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Transcriptomics offers a powerful means to address this knowledge gap. By profiling the complete set of RNA transcripts, whole-transcriptome analyses allow for the comprehensive characterization of gene expression changes in cells and tissues following RF-EMF exposure. This approach enables more specific assessment of potential molecular responses, including pathways related to DNA damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, and other stress-related processes, which could potentially give an indication to the mechanism behind these potential biological effects.

This study investigates the biological effects of RF-EMF exposure using whole-transcriptome TempO-Seq™ analysis to examine gene expression changes. Experiments were performed on HaCaT human keratinocyte cells, selected because the skin is a primary site of RF-EMF absorption in the 5G-NR FR2 frequency range. HaCaT cells were also used for 5G-NR FR1 exposures to enable direct comparison between the two frequency bands. Cells were exposed to 5G-NR modulated signals at 3.5 GHz and 26.5 GHz. The exposures were conducted using a temperature-controlled, blinded setup with separate exposure and sham chambers. A PCA analysis was performed on all the datasets, and no distinct groupings could be found, making it unlikely that any large systemic changes occur within our exposure conditions. Differential gene expression analysis was performed on the individual conditions using DeSeq2

The transcriptomic analysis revealed no consistent gene expression patterns associated with RF-EMF exposure under the tested conditions. Although some significant gene expression changes were observed, they were not reproducible or consistent across different exposure settings.