Effects of GSM 1800 MHz on dendritic development of cultured hippocampal neurons.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of global system for mobile communications (GSM) 1800 MHz microwaves on dendritic filopodia, dendritic arborization, and spine maturation during development in cultured hippocampal neurons in rats.


METHODS
The cultured hippocampal neurons were exposed to GSM 1800 MHz microwaves with 2.4 and 0.8 W/kg, respectively, for 15 min each day from 6 days in vitro (DIV6) to DIV14. The subtle structures of dendrites were displayed by transfection with farnesylated enhanced green fluorescent protein (F-GFP) and GFP-actin on DIV5 into the hippocampal neurons.


RESULTS
There was a significant decrease in the density and mobility of dendritic filopodia at DIV8 and in the density of mature spines at DIV14 in the neurons exposed to GSM 1800 MHz microwaves with 2.4 W/kg. In addition, the average length of dendrites per neuron at DIV10 and DIV14 was decreased, while the dendritic arborization was unaltered in these neurons. However, there were no significant changes found in the neurons exposed to the GSM 1800 MHz microwaves with 0.8 W/kg.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that the chronic exposure to 2.4 W/kg GSM 1800 MHz microwaves during the early developmental stage may affect dendritic development and the formation of excitatory synapses of hippocampal neurons in culture.
Ning
Wei
W
Department of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Xu
Shu-jun
SJ
Chiang
Huai
H
Xu
Zheng-ping
ZP
Zhou
Su-ya
SY
Yang
Wei
W
Luo
Jian-hong
JH
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008872:Microwaves; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051381:Rats
D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins