title: [Effects on structure and secretion of pituitary gland in rats after electromagnetic pulse exposure].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the exposure effect of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) on the structure and secretion of pituitary gland in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into eight groups. Four groups were subject to the EMP exposure of 200 kV/m and the others received a sham exposure. At different time points (12, 24, 48 & 96 h) post-exposure, the pathological changes of pituitary gland were observed by light and transmission electron microscope. And the serum levels of prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured dynamically by radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 12 h post-exposure, swollen mitochondria with cristae loss, dilatation of Golgi complex and diffusive lysosomes were found in endocrine cells of pituitary gland. The above changes became gradually worse. Mitochondrial vacuolization, the formation of myelin figures, distinct dilatation of endoplasmic reticulum, the occurrence of numerous secondary lysosomes and the clustering of heterochromatin under the nuclear membranes could be observed at 48 h. These lesions were alleviated to some degree at 96 h. The serum levels of PRL and ACTH both increased significantly at 12 h (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and returned to normal at 24 h. The level of GH decreased significantly at 12 h and then returned gradually to normal at 48 h. The level of TSH decreased at 12 h and reached the lowest point at 24 h, then returned to normal at 96 h. LH increased significantly from 24 h to 96 h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The EMP exposure of 200 kV/m may induce the changes of the structure and secretion of pituitary gland in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Navy General Hospital, Beijing 100037, China. fanghenghu@163.com
authors.forename: Heng-hu
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Gui-ying
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Jing-bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Dong-qing
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Jia-xing
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yun-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley