Effects of electromagnetic pulses on the rat testis

AIM: The present paper investigated the effects of Electromagnetic pulses(EMP) on the male procreative system to establish personnel protection guidelines for the new type of electromagnetic radiation. MATERIALS AND RESULTS: Rats were used in this study, and EMP irradiation parameter: 100Kv/m field intensity, 3x10(6) and 4x10(6) pulses respectively. SD male rats were sacrificed at 6h, 12h, 24h and 48h after 4x10(6) pulses irradiation, and the testis were prepared for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The contents of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) in the serum were examined using radioimmunoassay after different times exposed to EMP. The activity of total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD) and manganese superoxide dismutase(MnSOD) were determined according to xanthine oxygenation method. Meanwhile the density of maleic dialdehyde (MDA) was determined by thibabituric acid method. By semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), MnSOD and copper/zinc SOD (CuZnSOD) mRNA in the rat testis have been observed at different time after irradiation. The protein of NF kappa Bp65 and I kappa B alpha in rat testis was assayed by western blotting. Under TEM, the rat testis was damaged at different time after irradiation, the damage was more serious at 24h than the other times and it wasn't recovered until 48h after irradiation;After 3x106 or 4x106 pulses, FSH in the serum didn't change obviously, LH and T in the serum of the radiation groups were changed fluctuatedly compared with that of parallel control respectively; the activity of T-SOD and MnSOD in rat testis decreased at 24h and the contents of MDA increased at 6h after irradiation, MnSOD mRNA expression decreased in rat testis at 24h after exposure, and CuZnSOD mRNA expression didn't change; the protein of NF kappa Bp65 and I kappa B alpha in rat testis didn't change obviously after irradiation. CONCLUSION: The morphology was damaged and the function and metabolism of procreative system were altered on the rats after irradiation. EMP induced indiscriminate hormone secretion and excessive free radicals and over expression of some genes in the male procreative tissue played some roles directly or indirectly for the bioeffects.