Volume 6, Issue 1 (March 2004) 6, 29–34;
Effects of 60 Hz electromagnetic field exposure on testicular germ cell apoptosis in mice
J. S. Lee, S. S. Ahn, K. C. Jung, Y.W. Kim, S. K. Lee
Institute of Medical Science, 2Department of Urology, 3Department of Pathology, 4Department of Microbiology, Hallym University School of Medicine, Chunchon, 200-060, Korea
Advance online publication 1 March 2004
Abstract |
Aim: To evaluate the effects of 60 Hz extremely low frequency (ELF) elelctromagnetic field (EMF) exposure on germ cell apoptosis in the testis of mice. Methods: Adult male BALB/c mice (7 weeks of age) were exposed to a 60 Hz EMF of 0.1 mT or 0.5 mT for 24 h/day. A sham-exposed group served as the control. After 8 weeks of exposure, the mice were sacrificed. Germ cell apoptosis in the testis was assessed by histopathological examination, the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay (TUNEL) and flow cytometric examination of isolated spermatogenic cells stained with 7 aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD). Results: EMF exposure did not significantly affect the body and testis weights, but significantly increased the incidence of germ cell death. The distinguishing morphological feature of EMF exposure was a decrement in the number of well organized seminiferous tubules. Quantitative analysis of TUNEL-positive germ cells showed a significantly higher apoptotic rate in the 0.5 mT exposed mice than that in the sham controls (P<0.05), while the difference between the two exposed groups was insignificant. The TUNEL-positive cells were mainly spermatogonia. In flow cytometry analysis, the percentage of live cells [forward scatter count (FSC)high7-AAD-] was lower in the exposed groups than that in the controls (Figure 5A), but the decrease in viability was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Continuous exposure to ELF EMF may induce testicular germ cell apoptosis in mice.
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