Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effects of Electromagnetic Field of UHV Transmission Lines Exposure on Testis Tissue in Mice med./bio.

By: Geng D, Xu G, Zhang X, Xing L, Guo H, Yan W, Wang Y

Published in: IEEE Trans Magn 2009; 45 (10): 4853-4856

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To investigate whether extremely low frequency magnetic fields similar to those of transmission lines affect the testis tissue of mice.

Background/further details

40 mice (20 male, 20 female) were divided into an exposure and a sham exposure group (10 males and 10 females in each group).
Remark EMF-Portal: The employment of female mice does not make sense in the examined endpoints (testis).

Endpoint

effects on the reproductive system: histopathological changes in the testis; cell cycle and cell proliferation of the male germ cells

Exposure

- power transmission line

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz Exposure duration: continuous for 7 weeks (24 h/day)	electric field strength: 4.5 kV/m maximum electric field strength: 3.5 kV/m minimum magnetic flux density: 40 µT minimum magnetic flux density: 48 µT maximum

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	50 Hz
Type	electric field magnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 7 weeks (24 h/day)

Exposure setup

Exposure source	power line set-up
Chamber	5 mice were kept in one cage, respectively
Setup	electric field was induced by three-phase voltage lines which were connected to a secondary coil of the step-up transformer; lines were assumed to be straight, parallel to each other, with an equal distance (0.3 m); magnetic field was induced by three-phase current lines connected to a secondary coil of the step-down transformer and located beneath the insulating board; ground clearance of central line of the insulating board was 0.45 meter; primary coils of two transformers were respectively connected to two three-phase voltage dividers; mice cages were fixed at one side of B phase line (mid line)

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
electric field strength	4.5 kV/m	maximum	calculated	-	-
electric field strength	3.5 kV/m	minimum	calculated	-	-
magnetic flux density	40 µT	minimum	-	-	-
magnetic flux density	48 µT	maximum	-	-	-

Exposed system:

animal
mouse/BALB/c

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

cell viability/cell division/proliferation: cell cycle of male germ cells (ethidium bromide staining, flow cytometry); cell proliferation of male germ cells (hemocytometer); number of chromosome sets in male germ cells (haploid, diploid, tetraploid) (ethidium bromide staining, flow cytometry)
effects on the reproductive system: histopathological changes in the testis (hematoxylin-eosin stain, transmission electron microscopy)
level of gamma-glutamyltransferase in the blood serum and in the testis (biochemical assay)

Investigated system:

Investigated organ system:

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

No significant differences in the serum level of gamma-glutamyltransferase were found between the exposure and the sham exposure group (remark EMF-Portal: no data given for the level of gamma-glutamyltransferase in the testis).
The histopathological examination of the testis revealed no differences between the exposure and the sham exposure group.
In exposed rats, the cell proliferation and the number of germ cells in the S-phase were significantly decreased compared to the sham exposed rats, while no difference regarding the number of chromosome sets was observed.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Department of Education, Hebei Province, China
National Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province, China

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