Changes of apoptosis, mitochondrion membrane potential and Ca2+ of hypothalamic neurons induced by high power microwave / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the injury effect and mechanism of hypothalamic neurons after high power microwave (HPM) exposure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Primarily cultured hypothalamic neurons were exposed to 10 and 30 mW/cm(2) HPM, and the inverted phase contrast microscope (IPCM) and flow cytometry (FCM) were employed to detect the injury of cells and change of mitochondrion membrane potential (MMP) and Ca(2+) in the cytoplasm of neurons.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The ratio of apoptosis was significantly higher than that of the sham exposure (P < 0.05) induced by 10 and 30 mW/cm(2) HPM and necrosis increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the group of 30 mW/cm(2) at 6 h after exposure. The content of Ca(2+) in the cytoplasm of neuron cells increased (P < 0.01) while MMP decreased significantly (P < 0.01) after radiation of 30 mW/cm(2) HPM at 6 h after exposure.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Apoptosis is one of the major death ways of hypothalamic neurons. The overloading of Ca(2+) and the decline of MMP are involved in the process.</p>

Studies on the injury effects of hippocampus induced by high power microwave radiation in rat / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes of morphology and function in rat hippocampus induced by high power microwave (HPM) radiation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty male Wistar rats were radiated by HPM. Then their learning and memory abilities were tested with Y maze and were sacrificed 6 h, 1 d, 3 d and 7 d after radiation. The hippocampus was taken out to study the basic pathologic changes, apoptosis and the expressions of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) by means of HE staining, Nissel body staining, in situ terminal end labeling and immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The learning and memory abilities of rats reduced significantly after HPM radiation. HPM also resulted in rarefaction, edema and hemangiectasia of hippocampus, nervous cells degeneration and necrosis, decrease or disappearance of Nissel bodies. The injuries were more serious in field CA4 and dentate gyrus, which showed dose-effect relationship, and were progressively aggravated within 7 days. The apoptosis cells were significantly increased. NSE was increased in neurons. The NSE positive areas were also seen in the interstitial matrix and blood vessels. GFAP was increased in astrocytes, which became shorter and thicker.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HPM can damage the abilities of learning and memory and results in morphologic changes in hippocampus. The major pathologic changes are degeneration, apoptosis and necrosis of neurons and edema in interstitium. NSE and GFAP play an important role in the pathologic process.</p>