Effects of 60 Hz 14 microT magnetic field on the apoptosis of testicular germ cell in mice.
We recently reported that continuous exposure, for 8 weeks, of extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field (MF) of 0.1 or 0.5 mT might induce testicular germ cell apoptosis in BALB/c mice. In that report, the ELF MF exposure did not significantly affect the body weight or testicular weight, but significantly increased the incidence of testicular germ cell death. In the present study, we aimed to further characterize the effect of a 16-week continuous exposure to ELF MF of 14 or 200 microT on testicular germ cell apoptosis in mice. There were no significant effects of MF on body weight and testosterone levels in mice. In TUNEL staining (In situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy-UTP nick end labeling), germ cells showed a significantly higher apoptotic rate in exposed mice than in sham controls (P < 0.001). TUNEL-positive cells were mainly spermatogonia. In an electron microscopic study, degenerating spermatogonia showed condensation of nuclear chromatin similar to apoptosis. These results indicate that apoptosis may be induced in spermatogenic cells in mice by continuous exposure to 60 Hz MF of 14 microT.
Institute of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea. ywkim@hallym.ac.kr
Yoon-Won
YW
Kim
Hee-Sung
HS
Kim
Jin-Sang
JS
Lee
Young-Jin
YJ
Kim
Sang-Kon
SK
Lee
Jae-Nam
JN
Seo
Kyeong-Cheon
KC
Jung
Nam
N
Kim
Youn-Myoung
YM
Gimm
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004560:Electricity; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*