Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field for 1 hour a day over 30 days does change the histopathology and biochemistry of the rat testis med./bio.

By: Odaci E, Ozyilmaz C

Published in: Int J Radiat Biol 2015; 91 (7): 547-554

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The effects of exposure of rats to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field on histology, oxidative stress and apoptosis in the testes should be investigated.

Background/further details

Rats were divided into 3 groups: 1) cage control (n=8), 2) sham exposure (n=7) and 3) exposure to the electromagnetic field (n=8).

Endpoint

effects on the reproductive system: histology, apoptosis and oxidative stress in the testes

Exposure

- 900 MHz
- mobile communications
- mobile phone

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz Exposure duration: continuous for 1 hour/day for 30 days	electric field strength: 10 V/m mean power density: 0.265 W/m² mean SAR: 0.025 W/kg power: 300 mW (output power of power supply)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 1 hour/day for 30 days

Exposure setup

Exposure source	dipole antenna
Chamber	plexiglass jar (42 cm x 30 cm x 50 cm in size)
Setup	all rats were exposed simultaneously in one jar; an oscillator was used to establish a 900 MHz field similar to the frequency of a mobile phone; a half-wave dipole antenna made from a copper rod (1 mm Œ 15 cm) was installed into the central region, approximately 11 cm inside the open surface of the jar; intensity of the exposure field was measured every day from 9 different points on the floor of the jar
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info	electric field measurements were performed before each application and the absence of any other environmental electromagnetic field was confirmed before sham exposure and exposure were conducted

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
electric field strength	10 V/m	mean	measured	-	-
power density	0.265 W/m²	mean	measured and calculated	-	-
SAR	0.025 W/kg	-	measured and calculated	whole body	-
power	300 mW	-	estimated	-	output power of power supply

Reference articles

Odaci E et al. (2015): Pathological effects of prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field on the 21-day-old male rat kidney
Turedi S et al. (2015): The effects of prenatal exposure to a 900-MHz electromagnetic field on the 21-day-old male rat heart
Topal Z et al. (2015): The effects of prenatal long-duration exposure to 900-MHz electromagnetic field on the 21-day-old newborn male rat liver
Hanci H et al. (2013): The effect of prenatal exposure to 900-megahertz electromagnetic field on the 21-old-day rat testicle
Bas O et al. (2013): Pyramidal Cell Loss in the Cornu Ammonis of 32-day-old Female Rats Following Exposure to a 900 Megahertz Electromagnetic Field During Prenatal Days 13-21
Ikinci A et al. (2013): The Effects of Prenatal Exposure to a 900 Megahertz Electromagnetic Field on Hippocampus Morphology and Learning Behavior in Rat Pups
Odaci E et al. (2013): The Effects of 900 Megahertz Electromagnetic Field Applied in the Prenatal Period on Spinal Cord Morphology and Motor Behavior in Female Rat Pups

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on the reproductive system: weight of the testes; morphometry of seminiferous tubules, including diameter and epithelium thickness, histopathology (Johnsen's mean testicular biopsy score) (hematoxylin-eosin stain) and apoptosis (TUNEL assay) (light microscopy) in the testes
morphol./histopathol. changes: see "effects on reproductive system"
oxidative stress in the testes: enzyme activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase, amount of glutathione (biochemical assays) and lipid peroxidation (amount of malondialdehyde, reaction with thiobarbituric acid, spectrophotometry)

Investigated system:

isolated bio./chem. substance
tissue slices
isolated organ
testes, testes homogenates

Investigated organ system:

reproductive system

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The diameter and epithelium thickness of the seminiferous tubules were significantly lower, while the histopathological damage and apoptosis rate were significantly higher in the exposure group compared to the cage control and sham exposure. However, histopathological damage and the apoptosis rate in the sham exposure group were also significantly higher compared to the cage control but significantly lower in comparison to the exposure group.
The enzyme activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase, the amount of glutathione and lipid peroxidation were significantly decreased in the exposure group compared to the cage control. On the other hand, the enzyme activities of the catalase and superoxide dismutase and the amount of lipid peroxidation were significantly increased in the exposure group compared to the sham exposure group. In the sham exposure, the enzyme activity of the superoxide dismutase and the amount of glutathione and lipid peroxidation were significantly decreased compared to the cage control.
The significant differences in the sham exposure group in comparison to the cage control were probably stress-induced by the experimental procedure.
The authors conclude that exposure of rats to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field could alter histology, the oxidative status and apoptosis induction in the testes.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study
blind study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

Pandey N et al. (2017): Radiofrequency radiation (900 MHz)-induced DNA damage and cell cycle arrest in testicular germ cells in swiss albino mice
Tumkaya L et al. (2016): Mobile phone radiation during pubertal development has no effect on testicular histology in rats
Sokolovic D et al. (2015): The Effects of Melatonin on Oxidative Stress Parameters and DNA Fragmentation in Testicular Tissue of Rats Exposed to Microwave Radiation
Saygin M et al. (2015): Impact of L-carnitine and Selenium Treatment on Testicular Apoptosis in Rats Exposed to 2.45 GHz Microwave Energy
Mugunthan N et al. (2014): Effects of long term exposure to a 2G cell phone radiation (900 - 1900 MHz) on mouse testis
Karaman MI et al. (2014): The effects of electromagnetic waves emitted by the cell phones on the testicular tissue
Kumar S et al. (2014): Effect of electromagnetic irradiation produced by 3G mobile phone on male rat reproductive system in a simulated scenario
Meena R et al. (2014): Therapeutic approaches of melatonin in microwave radiations-induced oxidative stress-mediated toxicity on male fertility pattern of Wistar rats
Jelodar G et al. (2013): The prophylactic effect of vitamin C on induced oxidative stress in rat testis following exposure to 900 MHz radio frequency wave generated by a BTS antenna model
Hanci H et al. (2013): The effect of prenatal exposure to 900-megahertz electromagnetic field on the 21-old-day rat testicle
Atasoy HI et al. (2013): Immunohistopathologic demonstration of deleterious effects on growing rat testes of radiofrequency waves emitted from conventional Wi-Fi devices
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Celik S et al. (2012): An evaluation of the effects of long-term cell phone use on the testes via light and electron microscope analysis
Ozlem Nisbet H et al. (2012): Effects of exposure to electromagnetic field (1.8/0.9 GHz) on testicular function and structure in growing rats
Zeng L et al. (2011): MnSOD expression inhibited by electromagnetic pulse radiation in the rat testis
Imai N et al. (2011): Effects on rat testis of 1.95-GHz W-CDMA for IMT-2000 cellular phones
Lee HJ et al. (2010): The lack of histological changes of CDMA cellular phone-based radio frequency on rat testis
Ribeiro EP et al. (2007): Effects of subchronic exposure to radio frequency from a conventional cellular telephone on testicular function in adult rats
Subbotina TI et al. (2006): Effect of low-intensity extremely high frequency radiation on reproductive function in wistar rats