Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Can prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field affect the morphology of the spleen and thymus, and alter biomarkers of oxidative damage in 21-day-old male rats? med./bio.

By: Hanci H, Turedi S, Topal Z, Mercantepe T, Bozkurt I, Kaya H, Ersoz S, Unal B, Odaci E

Published in: Biotech Histochem 2015; 90 (7): 535-543

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The effects of prenatal exposure of rats to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field on oxidative stress and the histology of spleen and thymus should be investigated.

Background/further details

Six pregnant rats were divided into 2 groups (n=3 each): 1) exposure to the electromagnetic field and a 2) non-exposed control group. From each group, 6 pups were randomly selected 21 days after birth and investigated .

Endpoint

effects on the immune system: oxidative stress and histology of spleen and thymus

Exposure

- 900 MHz
- mobile communications
- mobile phone

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz Exposure duration: continuous for 1 hour/day between days 13 and 21 of pregnancy	electric field strength: 13.77 V/m mean power density: 0.5 W/m² mean SAR: 0.025 W/kg power: 300 mW (approximate output power)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 1 hour/day between days 13 and 21 of pregnancy

Exposure setup

Exposure source	dipole antenna
Chamber	plexiglass jar (30 cm x 42 cm x 50 cm)
Setup	setup consisted of an oscillator connected to a half-wave dipole antenna (1 mm x 15 cm copper rod) using a coaxial cable; the antenna was installed centrally approximately 11 cm into the open end of the jar; rats were placed within the jar at the same time

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
electric field strength	13.77 V/m	mean	measured	-	-
power density	0.5 W/m²	mean	measured	-	-
SAR	0.025 W/kg	-	calculated	whole body	-
power	300 mW	-	-	-	approximate output power

Measurement and calculation details

EMF was measured at nine different sites in the jar while the jar was empty, beneath the jar and on the floor (remark EMF-Portal: Turedi et al. 2015 measured exactly the same exposure values in a similar setup but with rats in the jar)

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
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:

animal
rat/Sprague Dawley
whole body

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

morphol./histopathol. changes: histology (hematoxylin-eosin stain, light microscopy) and ultrastructure (toluidine blue stain, light microscopy as well as uranyl acetate stain and Reynold's lead citrate stain, transmission electron microscopy) of thymus and spleen
oxidative stress in thymus and spleen: enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation (reaction of malondialdehyde with thiobarbituric acid) and level of reduced glutathione (reaction with nitrobenzoic acid; spectrophotometry)

Investigated system:

isolated bio./chem. substance
tissue slices
thymus and spleen, tissue homogenates

Investigated organ system:

immune system

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Light microscopy showed cells with large eosinophilic, granular cytoplasm and round and oval nuclei (oncocytic-like cells) in the thymus of exposed animals. In the spleen, cells from the megakaryocyte, erythrocyte and myeloid series were found in exposed animals, suggestive of extramedullary (i.e. outside of the bone marrow) haematopoiesis in the spleen. Thymus and spleen tissue from control group animals did not show pathological changes.
Transmission electron microscopy revealed pathological changes (degeneration of cells and organelles) in thymus and spleen of the exposure group but not in the control group.
In the thymus of exposed animals, lipid peroxidation was significantly increased and the amount of reduced glutathione was significantly reduced compared to the control group. In the spleen of exposed animals, lipid peroxidation and the amount of reduced glutathione were both significantly increased and the superoxide dismutase enzyme activity was significantly reduced compared to the control group.
The authors conclude that prenatal exposure of rats to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field could cause oxidative stress and pathological changes in the spleen and thymus.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

Bahreyni Toossi MH et al. (2018): Exposure to mobile phone (900-1800 MHz) during pregnancy: tissue oxidative stress after childbirth
Ulubay M et al. (2015): Effects of prenatal 900 MHz electromagnetic field exposures on the histology of 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