Therapeutic approaches of melatonin in microwave radiations-induced oxidative stress-mediated toxicity on male fertility pattern of Wistar rats

Abstract

Microwave (MW) radiation produced by wireless telecommunications and a number of electrical devices used in household or in healthcare institutions may adversely affects the reproductive pattern. Present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of melatonin (is well known antioxidant that protects DNA, lipids and proteins from free radical damage) against oxidative stress-mediated testicular impairment due to long-term exposure of MWs. For this, 70-day-old male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 6/group): Sham exposed, Melatonin (Mel) treated (2 mg/kg), 2.45 GHz MWs exposed and MWs + Mel treated. Exposure took place in Plexiglas cages for 2 h a day for 45 days where, power density (0.21 mW/cm(2)) and specific absorption rate (SAR 0.14 W/Kg) were estimated. After the completion of exposure period, rats were sacrificed and various stress related parameters, that is LDH-X (lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme) activity, xanthine oxidase (XO), ROS (reactive oxygen species), protein carbonyl content, DNA damage and MDA (malondialdehyde) were performed. Result shows that melatonin prevent oxidative damage biochemically by significant increase (p < 0.001) in the levels of testicular LDH-X, decreased (p < 0.001) levels of MDA and ROS in testis (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, it reversed the effects of MWs on XO, protein carbonyl content, sperm count, testosterone level and DNA fragmentation in testicular cells. These results concluded that the melatonin has strong antioxidative potential against MW induced oxidative stress mediated DNA damage in testicular cells.

The thermal effect of 2.45 GHz microwave radiation on rat testes

“…Liu et al (2013) determined in a modified comet assay that radiofrequency EMR has insufficient energy for the direct induction of DNA strand breaks, however, it produces genotoxicity through oxidative DNA damage in the male germ cells. These findings are further supported by Al Damegh (2012), Meena et al (2013), Naziroglu et al (2013) and Jelodar et al (2014), who evaluated various stress-related indices (e.g. catalase and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme activity, glutathione and glutathione peroxidase levels, ROS -reactive oxygen species, and others) in testicular tissue and concluded that MW radiation induced oxidative stress with subsequent DNA damage of testicular cells.…”

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

“…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. These results supported the findings of this study.…”

Microwave radiation (2.45 GHz)-induced oxidative stress: Whole-body exposure effect on histopathology of Wistar rats

“…The finding that exposure to microwave radiation could cause infertility has been reported in previous studies. Such conclusions have been inferred from observations of a decrease in sperm count, motility and daily sperm production with marked testicular histopathological changes (Agarwal et al, 2008;Aweda et al, 2011;Kumar et al, 2014;Meena et al, 2014;Tas et al, 2014). This could be factual, because the low level of EMR has the potential of penetrating the cell membrane and changing cellular and metabolic activity.…”

“…Two animals were exposed at a time. Animals in cages were placed at 10 cm below a horn antenna Meena et al, 2014). All animals were facing horn antenna and the field relative to the long axis of the cages was vertical polarization.…”

“…Certain serious health concerns are often linked to various types of environmental and occupational exposures. The most common concerns include impaired sperm quality Cleary, 1995;Kesari and Behari, 2009), impact on liver (Kumari et al, 2012), neurological dysfunctions (Kesari et al, 2014;Kunjilwar and Behari, 1993;Meena et al, 2014;Paulraj and Behari, 2006) and histopathological changes such as cell injuries (Khayyat and Abou-zaid, 2009;Kumari et al, 2012;Verschaeve, 2009;Zare et al, 2007). The hazards of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) pervading the environment have now been increasingly realized and, therefore, such radiation has been considered as an "electro-pollution" or "electrosmog" in the list of other environmental pollutants (air, water, soil and noise pollution) (Behari, 2009).…”