Effects of long-term 50 Hz magnetic field exposure on the micro nucleated polychromatic erythrocyte and blood lymphocyte frequency and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in lymphocytes of mice.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to investigate the effects of weak extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) on the nucleus size, the silver staining nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs), the frequency of micro nucleated peripheral blood lymphocytes (MPBLs) and the micro nucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MPCEs).


METHODS
One hundred and twenty Swiss albino mice were equally divided into 6 groups. The study groups were exposed to 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 microT 50 Hz-EMFs for 40 days. Micronucleus number (MN) per PBL was determined..


RESULTS
ELF-EMF exposure caused a nonlinear decline of nucleus area. A sharp drop occurred in AgNOR area of 1 microT group, and following it gained an insignificantly higher level than that of the control group. The field did not change mean AgNOR numbers per nucleus of the groups. Relative AgNOR area had the highest level in 1 microT-exposure group, and the level was quite similar to that of the 5 microT-exposure group. The remaining groups had significantly lower values quite similar to that of the control level. The field exposure at any intensity did not affect significantly the frequency of either MPBLs or MPCEs. The number of MN per PBL in the 4 and 5 microT-exposure groups were significantly higher than those of the lower intensity exposure groups. The males in 4 microT-exposure group displayed the highest MN number per PBL, whereas values changed in a nonlinear manner.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study suggest that </=5 microT intensities of 50 Hz EMFs did not cause genotoxic effect on the mouse.
Okudan
Nilsel
N
Department of Physiology, Meram Medical School, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey. nokudan@selcuk.edu.tr
Celik
Ilhami
I
Salbacak
Ahmet
A
Cicekcibasi
Aynur Emine
AE
Buyukmumcu
Mustafa
M
Gökbel
Hakki
H
D000818:Animals; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004900:Erythroblasts / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors