Pandey N, Giri S. · 2018
Researchers exposed Swiss albino mice to RFR for 3 hours twice daily for 35 days and gave some mice melatonin at 5 mg/kg body weight per day. RFR-exposed mice showed extensive DNA damage, arrest in pre-meiotic spermatogenesis, low sperm count, and sperm head abnormalities. Biochemical assays revealed excess free radical generation and histological changes in testis and germ cells. Melatonin supplementation diminished or abolished these effects.
Bahreyni Toossi MH et al. · 2018
Pregnant Balb/C mice were exposed to mobile phone radiation (900–1800 MHz) for 2 hours per day over 20 days during pregnancy. Researchers measured malondialdehyde, total thiol groups, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in heart, liver, kidney, cerebellum, and hippocampus tissues of dams and offspring. MDA levels were significantly increased while TTG, SOD, and CAT were significantly decreased in the tissues of both dams and offspring.
Li R et al. · 2018
Mouse spermatocyte-derived cells (GC-2) were exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields at 4 W/kg for 24 hours. The exposure induced both autophagy and DNA damage in GC-2 cells through the generation of reactive oxygen species. When autophagy was blocked by knocking down AMPKα, DNA damage increased, while overexpressing AMPKα promoted autophagy and reduced DNA damage.
Houston BJ, Nixon B, King BV, Aitken RJ, De Iuliis GN. · 2018
Researchers exposed cultured mouse spermatogonial GC1 and spermatocyte GC2 cell lines, as well as cauda epididymal spermatozoa, to continuous wave RF-EMR at 1.8 GHz at 0.15 and 1.5 W/kg. A 4-hour exposure increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in GC1 cells (7 vs. 18%; p < 0.001) and GC2 cells (11.5 vs. 16%; p < 0.01), with Complex III of the electron transport chain identified as the potential source. Exposure at 0.15 W/kg for 3 hours induced significant DNA fragmentation in spermatozoa (p < 0.05), though this was no longer significant after 4 hours. After 4 hours of exposure, spermatozoa showed significant oxidative DNA damage in the form of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (p < 0.05) and a decline in sperm motility (p < 0.05).
Suzuki S et al. · 2017
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 3rd-generation (3G) cellular phone radiofrequency-electromagnetic wave (RF-EMW) exposure on fertilization and embryogenesis in mice. Oocytes and spermatozoa were exposed to 1.95 GHz RF-EMWs at 2 mW/g for 60 minutes or sham exposure. After RF-EMW exposure, in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection were performed. Groups compared were both exposed, both non-exposed, one exposed, and the other non-exposed. Fertilization, embryogenesis, and blastocyst formation rates did not change significantly across the four groups.
Shirai T et al. · 2017
Researchers exposed pregnant rats and their offspring to eight radiofrequency signals ranging from 800 MHz to 5.2 GHz. The exposure lasted 20 h per day from gestational day 7 through weaning and continued for offspring up to 6 weeks of age. No abnormal findings were observed in the dams, F1 offspring, or F2 offspring across all evaluated parameters. The study concluded that simultaneous whole-body exposure to these frequencies did not show adverse effects on pregnancy or development.
Schauer I, Mohamad Al-Ali B. · 2017
Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of 468 men attending an infertility clinic from 1993 to 2007. Varicoceles were determined by clinical examination and patients were questioned on cell phone usage and storage fashion. Varicocele showed an effect on sperm concentration, LH, and testosterone. Cell phone storage in trousers pockets showed an influence on the percentage of normal sperm morphology and LH. No combined effect of varicocele and cell phone storage was detected.
Choi KH et al. · 2017
Yilmaz A et al. · 2017
Pregnant rats were exposed to 900 MHz EMF for 24 hours a day over 20 days using a digital signal generator placed under the cage. Livers and blood were collected from male and female offspring 60 days after birth for biochemical and histopathological analysis. Liver malondialdehyde levels increased significantly while glutathione levels decreased significantly, and serum ALT and AST levels were significantly elevated. Liver sections showed intense hepatocyte degeneration with cytoplasmic eosinophilic structures, pyknotic nuclei, and fibrosis. The researchers concluded that intrauterine EMF exposure causes harmful liver effects that persist into adulthood.
Sepehrimanesh M, Kazemipour N, Saeb M, Nazifi S, Davis DL · 2017
Researchers exposed 20 Sprague-Dawley rats to 900 MHz RF-EMF for 0, 1, 2, or 4 hours per day for 30 consecutive days. After 4 hours of daily exposure, ATP synthase beta subunit and hypoxia up-regulated protein 1 precursor were significantly up-regulated. The authors state that these protein increases are related to carcinogenic risk and reproductive damage.
Lu X, Oda M, Ohba T, Mitsubuchi H, Masuda S, Katoh T. · 2017
The study aimed to determine the associations of excessive mobile phone use with neonatal birth weight and infant health status. A sample of 461 mother and child pairs participated in a survey on maternal characteristics, infant characteristics, and maternal mobile phone usage information during pregnancy. The mean infant birth weight was lower in the excessive use group than in the ordinary use group, and the frequency of infant emergency transport was significantly higher in the excessive use group than in the ordinary use group.
Kamali K et al. · 2017
Researchers collected 40 semen samples from healthy men and divided them into exposed and unexposed groups. The exposed group was placed in an incubator with a 3G+Wi-Fi modem downloading data for 50 minutes, while the unexposed group was shielded with aluminum foil. Sperm motility class C was significantly lower in the exposed group, while class D was significantly higher. Several velocity parameters were significantly higher in the unexposed group. The authors concluded that electromagnetic waves from 3G+Wi-Fi modems significantly decrease sperm motility and velocity.
D'Silva MH, Swer RT, Anbalagan J, Rajesh B. · 2017
Fertilized chick embryos were incubated in four groups: 2G exposed (60 eggs), 3G exposed (60 eggs), sham exposed control (60 eggs), and control (48 eggs). After the scheduled exposure duration, embryos were collected for histological analysis of liver structure and alkaline comet assay for DNA damage. Exposure of developing chick embryos to 2G and 3G cell phone radiations caused structural changes in liver including dilated sinusoidal spaces with haemorrhage, increased vacuolations in cytoplasm, increased nuclear diameter and karyorrhexis. DNA damage was significantly increased in embryos exposed to 2G and 3G radiation. The changes were more pronounced in the 3G experimental group.
Birks L et al. · 2017
Researchers analyzed data from 83,884 mother-child pairs across five birth cohorts in Denmark, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain. They categorized maternal cell phone use during pregnancy into none, low, medium, and high based on call frequency reported by mothers. Child behavioral problems were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire or Child Behavior Checklist at ages 5–7 years. A trend of increasing risk of hyperactivity/inattention problems was observed across cell phone use categories, with odds ratios of 1.11 for medium users and 1.28 for high users. The association was consistent across cohorts and between prospective and retrospective data collection methods.
Shahin S, Singh SP, Chaturvedi CM. · 2017
Researchers investigated long-term effects of 1800 MHz mobile phone radiation in stand-by, dialing, and receiving modes on female reproductive function and stress responses in mice. Exposure significantly elevated ROS, NO, lipid peroxidation, total carbonyl content, and serum corticosterone while decreasing antioxidant enzymes in the hypothalamus, ovary, and uterus. Exposed mice showed reduced developing and mature follicles and corpus lutea, along with decreased pituitary gonadotrophins, sex steroids, and expression of steroidogenic and estrogen receptor genes.
Pandey N, Giri S, Das S, Upadhaya P. · 2017
Swiss albino mice were exposed to 900 MHz RFR for 4 hours and 8 hours per day for 35 days, with one group terminated after exposure and another kept for an additional 35 days post-exposure. RFR exposure caused mitochondrial membrane depolarization and redox imbalance, along with statistically significant increases in DNA damage index and sperm head defects. Flow cytometry showed a 2.5-fold increase in spermatogonia and decreased spermatids, with reduced turnover ratios indicating premeiotic arrest and low sperm count. Histological alterations included sloughing of immature germ cells, epithelium depletion, and maturation arrest, but all changes showed recovery to varied degrees after the post-exposure period.
Oyewopo AO, Olaniyi SK, Oyewopo CI, Jimoh AT. · 2017
Researchers randomly assigned adult male Wistar rats to a control group, a sham exposure group, and groups exposed to cell phone radiation for 1, 2, or 3 hours over a 28-day period. Histomorphometry showed no significant change in germinal epithelial diameter or cross-sectional diameter in any exposure group compared with controls. Group D showed a significantly smaller lumen diameter than Group B, and all exposure groups showed uneven germinal epithelial distribution with epithelial degeneration in Group D. Sera malondialdehyde increased and superoxide dismutase decreased in all exposure groups, while follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone decreased significantly in groups C and D.
Kuzay D, Ozer C, Sirav B, Canseven AG, Seyhan N · 2017
Wistar male rats were divided into 10 groups. Intraperitoneal single dose STZ (65 mg/kg) dissolved in citrate buffer (0.1M (pH 4.5)) was injected to diabetes groups. ELF MFs and RF radiation were used as an electromagnetic exposure for 20 min/day, 5 days/week for one month. ELF and RF radiation resulted in an increase in testicular tissue MDA and NOX levels (p < 0.05), and caused a decrease in GSH levels (p < 0.05) in both healthy and diabetic rats, yet more distinctively in diabetic rats.
Zhang KY et al. · 2017
Researchers exposed mouse spermatocyte-derived GC-1 cells to a 1950 MHz RF field at 3 W/kg SAR for 24 hours with or without 6 Gy X-ray irradiation. RF exposure alone did not change cell proliferation or apoptosis levels. When combined with X-ray, RF exposure significantly decreased proliferation and increased apoptotic rate compared to X-ray alone. The combined exposure also significantly decreased Bcl-2 protein expression and increased Bax protein expression.
Manta AK et al. · 2017
Researchers exposed four-day-old adult female Drosophila melanogaster to mobile-phone radiation for 30 minutes at a SAR of 0.15 W/kg and a SAE of 270 J/kg. Reactive oxygen species levels in follicles of pre-choriogenic stages were found to increase by 1.6-fold immediately after the end of exposure. Sporadically generated apoptotic follicles showed an averaged 2-fold upregulation in their sub-population mass, 4 hours after irradiation. Microarray analysis revealed 168 genes being differentially expressed 2 hours after exposure, associated with processes such as basic metabolism, stress response, and apoptotic death.
Lewis RC et al. · 2016
Researchers explored the relationship between mobile phone use patterns and semen quality markers in a longitudinal cohort of 153 men at a Boston fertility clinic. Mobile phone use duration, headset use, and phone carrying location were assessed via nurse-administered questionnaire. A total of 350 semen samples were collected and analyzed onsite. Linear mixed models with random intercepts accounted for multiple semen samples per man. Overall, there was no evidence for a relationship between mobile phone use and semen quality.
Nakatani-Enomoto S et al. · 2016
Zhang G et al. · 2016
The study screened 794 young men in 2013 and followed 666 and 568 participants in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Univariate regression showed that daily talking duration on a cell phone was significantly associated with lower sperm concentration and total sperm count in 2013, and with lower semen volume and total sperm count in 2015. Internet use via cellular networks was associated with decreased sperm concentration and total sperm counts in 2013 and decreased semen volume in 2015, and these associations remained significant after multivariate adjustment for confounders.
Safian F et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed mouse 2-cell embryos to EMF (900–1800 MHz) for 30 minutes per day over four days and compared them with unexposed controls. The rate of embryo survival to the blastocyst stage was similar in both groups. However, the percentage of dead embryos at the 2-cell stage was significantly higher in the EMF-exposed group, and loss of cell viability significantly increased in experimental blastocysts.
Odacı E et al. · 2016
Pregnant rats were exposed to 900 MHz EMF for 1 hour each day during days 13 to 21 of pregnancy. At 60 days old, offspring showed higher apoptotic index, greater DNA oxidation levels, and lower sperm motility and vitality compared to controls. Histopathological examination revealed immature germ cells in seminiferous tubule lumen and altered seminiferous tubule epithelium and structure. TUNEL staining showed nuclear changes indicating apoptosis with large numbers of apoptotic cells in most seminiferous tubule epithelium.
