2.45-GHz microwave irradiation adversely affects reproductive function in male mouse,Mus musculusby inducing oxidative and nitrosative stress

Abstract

Electromagnetic radiations are reported to produce long-term and short-term biological effects, which are of great concern to human health due to increasing use of devices emitting EMR especially microwave (MW) radiation in our daily life. In view of the unavoidable use of MW emitting devices (microwaves oven, mobile phones, Wi-Fi, etc.) and their harmful effects on biological system, it was thought worthwhile to investigate the long-term effects of low-level MW irradiation on the reproductive function of male Swiss strain mice and its mechanism of action. Twelve-week-old mice were exposed to non-thermal low-level 2.45-GHz MW radiation (CW for 2 h/day for 30 days, power density = 0.029812 mW/cm(2) and SAR = 0.018 W/Kg). Sperm count and sperm viability test were done as well as vital organs were processed to study different stress parameters. Plasma was used for testosterone and testis for 3β HSD assay. Immunohistochemistry of 3β HSD and nitric oxide synthase (i-NOS) was also performed in testis. We observed that MW irradiation induced a significant decrease in sperm count and sperm viability along with the decrease in seminiferous tubule diameter and degeneration of seminiferous tubules. Reduction in testicular 3β HSD activity and plasma testosterone levels was also noted in the exposed group of mice. Increased expression of testicular i-NOS was observed in the MW-irradiated group of mice. Further, these adverse reproductive effects suggest that chronic exposure to nonionizing MW radiation may lead to infertility via free radical species-mediated pathway.

The Effect of Smartphone's Radiation Frequency and Exposure Duration on NADPH Oxidase 5 (NOX5) Level in Sperm Parameters

“…This further had impaired the overall process of sperm maturation (Akbari & Jelodar 2013). Shahin et al (2014) had similar results in which their study saw significant reduction in diameter and injury to the testes after RF-EMW exposure of 2 h/day for 30 days.…”

Impact of 2.45 GHz microwave radiation on the testicular inflammatory pathway biomarkers in young rats: The role of gallic acid

“…Previous study showed that the certain type of occupational EMR exposure decreased testosterone levels (Saygin et al, 2009). Shahin et al () applied 2.45‐GHz microwave irradiation for 2 h day −1 during 30 days and found a decrease in testosterone levels in the exposed group of mice. Similarly, Kumar et al (), Nazıroğlu et al (), and Meena et al () showed that 2.45 GHz EMR exposure caused a decrease in testosterone levels.…”

“…Dasdag et al () exposed rats to 2.4 GHz EMR for 24 h day −1 during 12 months and showed that the diameter of seminiferous tubules and thickness of tunica albuginea decreased by long term exposure. Shahin et al () exposed rats to the non‐thermal low‐level 2.45 GHz EMR (CW for 2 h day −1 during 30 days, power density 0.029812 mW cm −2 and SAR 0.018 W kg −1 ), and they observed that EMR irradiation induced a significant decrease in a sperm count and sperm viability, along with the decrease in a seminiferous tubule diameter and degeneration of the seminiferous tubules. They suggested that the possible mechanism of EMR chronic exposure to non‐ionizing EMR may lead to infertility via free radical species‐mediated pathway.…”

Apoptosis-mediated testicular alteration in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) in response to temporal phase relation of serotonergic and dopaminergic oscillations

“…In the first step, after initial deparafinization in xylene and rehydration in a graded series of alcohol, different sections of testes were incubated with antibodies with specificity to the GnIH, p53, Bax, pro-caspase-3 and uncleaved PARP-1 antibodies ( purchased from Santa Cruz Biotechnology) for 24 h in a humid chamber (Shahin et al, 2014 Average IOD values of testicular sections from each group were considered as arbitrary unit thresholds for each antigen (Table 1). Statistics were performed on the average arbitrary unit values (means±s.e.m.)…”