title: The effect of exposure of rats during prenatal period to radiation spreading from mobile phones on renal development.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exposure to a 900-MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) produced by mobile phones on the renal development of prenatal rats. Histopathological changes and apoptosis in the kidneys, together with levels of urea, creatinine and electrolyte in serum were determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 14 Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. Pregnant rats were divided into two equal groups: a control group and an EMF-exposed group. The study group was exposed to 900-MHz of EMF during the first 20 days of pregnancy, while the control group was unexposed to EMF. Sections obtained from paraffin blocks were stained for caspase-3 by immunohistochemistry, hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mild congestion and tubular defects, and dilatation of Bowman's capsule were observed in the kidney tissues of rats in the exposed group. Apoptosis was evaluated using anti-caspase-3; stronger positive staining was observed in the renal tubular cells in the study group than those of the control group. Although there was a significant difference between the study and control groups in terms of K+ level (p<0.05), no significant difference was observed in the other parameters studied (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that the electromagnetic waves propagated from mobile phones have harmful effects on the renal development of prenatal rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Medical Faculty , Rize , Turkey .
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bedir
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tumkaya
authors.forename: İbrahim
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Şehitoğlu
authors.forename: Yıldıray
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kalkan
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Osman Zikrullah
authors.initials: OZ
authors.lastname: Şahin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000528:radiation effects; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D040421:Cell Phone; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D053148:Caspase 3; D011188:Potassium
keywords: Caspase-3; kidney; mobile phones; rat