Low intensity microwave radiation induced oxidative stress, inflammatory response and DNA damage in rat brain
Megha, K., Deshmukh, P.S., Banerjee, B.D., Tripathi, A.K., Ahmed, R., Abegaonkar, M.P. · 2015
The study suggests that low intensity microwave radiation induces oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and DNA damage in rat brain in a frequency-dependent manner.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed 24 male Fischer 344 rats to microwave radiation at 900, 1800, and 2450 MHz with specific absorption rates of 0.59, 0.58, and 0.66 mW/kg for 60 days (2 hours per day, 5 days per week). Exposure increased oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, and catalase, while decreasing reduced glutathione and superoxide dismutase. Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ were significantly elevated in exposed rats. Significant DNA damage was observed in the microwave exposed groups compared to sham.
Why This Matters
Rats were sacrificed and decapitated to isolate the hippocampus at the end of the exposure period. The effects on oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage were frequency dependent. The authors suggest that increased oxidative stress and inflammatory response might be factors involved in DNA damage following low intensity microwave exposure.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Show BibTeX
@article{low_intensity_microwave_radiation_induced_oxidative_stress_inflammatory_response_and_dna_damage_in_rat_brain_ce2510,
author = {Megha and K. and Deshmukh and P.S. and Banerjee and B.D. and Tripathi and A.K. and Ahmed and R. and Abegaonkar and M.P.},
title = {Low intensity microwave radiation induced oxidative stress, inflammatory response and DNA damage in rat brain},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1016/j.neuro.2015.10.009},
}