Changes in the histopathology and in the proteins related to the MAPK pathway in the brains of rats exposed to pre and postnatal radiofrequency radiation over four generations
Tan B, Tan FC, Yalcin B, Dasdag S, Yegin K, Yay AH · 2022
Across four generations, rats exposed to 2450 MHz radiofrequency radiation showed brain hemorrhages in females and increased MAPK pathway proteins in males.
Plain English Summary
The study created four groups (sham, irradiated female, irradiated male, and irradiated male and female) with one male and three females each. The irradiated groups were whole-body exposed to 2450 MHz continuous wave radiofrequency radiation for 12 hours per day across four generations. The researchers examined fetal brain development, histopathological changes in female rats, and hippocampal MAPK protein levels in male rats. In exposed groups, hemorrhagic areas, irregular cellular localization, and vascular structures were observed in the brains of fetal and adult female rats across all generations. In adult male rats, phosphorylated ERK, tau, JNK, and p38 were significantly increased in the brain across all generations.
Why This Matters
The study included four groups (sham, irradiated female, irradiated male, and irradiated male and female) with one male and three females each, and irradiation began one month before fertilization in the experimental group. On gestational day 18, one pregnant rat from each group was decapitated under general anesthesia and the fetuses were taken, while the remaining two pregnant rats completed the normal gestation period. When the offspring were two months old, four rats (one male and three females) were allocated for the second generation, and the same processes were repeated for subsequent generations. Histopathology was assessed with hematoxylin and eosin staining, and hippocampal MAPK protein levels were measured by Western blotting. The authors concluded that pre and postnatal exposure may alter MAPK pathway function, potentially impairing learning and memory, and may damage both fetal and adult brain tissue with possible effects on future generations.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Show BibTeX
@article{tan_b_tan_fc_yalcin_b_dasdag_s_yegin_k_yay_ah_ce3517,
author = {Tan B and Tan FC and Yalcin B and Dasdag S and Yegin K and Yay AH},
title = {Changes in the histopathology and in the proteins related to the MAPK pathway in the brains of rats exposed to pre and postnatal radiofrequency radiation over four generations},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.1016/j.jchemneu.2022.102187},
}