GFAP expression in the rat brain following sub-chronic exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field signal.
OBJECTIVE
The rapid development and expansion of mobile communications contributes to the general debate on the effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on the nervous system. This study aims at measuring the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in 48 rat brains to evaluate reactive astrocytosis, three and 10 days after long-term head-only sub-chronic exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) signal, in male rats.


METHODS
Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed for 45 min/day at a brain-averaged specific absorption rate (SAR) = 1.5 W/kg or 15 min/day at a SAR = 6 W/kg for five days per week during an eight-week period. GFAP expression was measured by the immunocytochemistry method in the following rat brain areas: Prefrontal cortex, cerebellar cortex, dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, lateral globus pallidus of the striatum, and the caudate putamen.


RESULTS
Compared to the sham-treated rats, those exposed to the sub-chronic GSM (Global System for mobile communications) signal at 1.5 or 6 W/kg showed an increase in GFAP levels in the different brain areas, three and ten days after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that sub-chronic exposures to a 900 MHz EMF signal for two months could adversely affect rat brain (sign of a potential gliosis).
Ammari
Mohamed
M
National Institute of Industrial Environment and Risk (INERIS), Parc technologique ALATA, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France. Mohamed.Ammari@fsb.rnu.tn
Gamez
Christelle
C
Lecomte
Anthony
A
Sakly
Mohsen
M
Abdelmelek
Hafedh
H
De Seze
René
R
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000528:radiation effects; D040421:Cell Phone; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000528:radiation effects; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005911:Gliosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000528:radiation effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000528:radiation effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011699:Putamen / Q000528:radiation effects; D011846:Radio Waves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein