Effects of 60 Hz electromagnetic field exposure on testicular germ cell apoptosis in mice.
OBJECTIVE
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)(high)7-AAD(-)] was lower in the exposed groups than that in the controls (Figure 5A), but the decrease in viability was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Continuous exposure to ELF EMF may induce testicular germ cell apoptosis in mice.
Lee
Jin Sang
JS
Department of Medical Science, Hallym University, School of Medicine, Chunchon 200-060, Korea.
Ahn
Sang Seok
SS
Jung
Kyeong Cheon
KC
Kim
Yoon-Won
YW
Lee
Sang Kon
SK
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001835:Body Weight; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009929:Organ Size; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology*