Changes produced in cerebellum and kidney of rabbits after chronic exposure to mobile phone microwaves. a histopathological study

ABSTRACT

The use of mobile phones is currently one of the faster growing technological developments. The microwave emitted by these telephones are considered as one of the non-ionizing radiations which still having much uncertainties about the severity of effects of both acute and chronic exposure to their various types. The direct biological effects of exposure to this kind of ionizing radiation have not been studied extensively particularly from the histological point of view. The close proximity of the antenna of such a device to the head and the abdominal organs has raised concerns about the biological interactions between these Electromagnetic Radiation [EMR] and cerebellum and kidney. So these organs were chosen to be target organs for our present study. The present work was performed to assess and investigate the histopathological effects of the frequent and long term exposure to the microwaves emitted by the mobile phone on cerebellum and kidney of rabbits. Male and female rabbits have been used in this experiment for normal and exposed groups. Animals were sexually immature and classified into 3 groups Normal control [non-exposed] rabbits [male, female], irradiated [exposed] female rabbits, irradiated [exposed] male rabbits. The radiation exposure was carried out on heads of animals for 30 min/ day for a period of 90 days at the frequency of 900 MHz [Specific Absorption Rate "SAR" was 0.62 W/ kg]. For kidney the duration of exposure was 90 min/ day for a period of 90 days at the same range of frequency but the device was operated but not activated. The exposure of the experimental animals of both sexes to this type of non-ionizing radiations resulted in many histopathological alterations in both cerebellum and kidney. In cerebellum herniation of some cerebellar folia, detaching of epithelia of the pial surface and generalized perineural, perivascular and periglial edema could be recorded. The Purkinje cells appeared degenerated, sometimes highly destructed, irregular in shape, dark in staining, small in size, ill-defined and surrounded by widened preicellular spaces. In some regions of cerebellar tissue an absence of Purkinje layer after the degeneration of their cells was detected. The granular cells appeared in darkly stained, clusters aggregated as gliosis, small in size with hyperchromatic pyknotic nuclei. The granular cell layer in some fields accepted a generalized spongiform appearance resulted in compression and degeneration throughout the cerebellar cortex. The molecular later contained few destructed nerve cells, vacuolated matrix and sometimes infiltrated with degenerated dark cells. In some examined fields it accepted a spongiform appearance after severe damage to its constituent fibers and cells. The renal tissue exhibited pronounced tubular necrosis, vacuolar degeneration in glomeruli, narrowing of the Bowman's space, partial necrosis in the medullary elements with some pyknotic nuclei in the interstitium, tubular collapse, atrophied renal epithelia of the renal tubules forming necrotic remnants, glomerular sclerosis, the renal tubules may be reduced to collapsed skeletons, desquamation and absence of the normal renal epithelia. The distal convoluted tubules were more sensitive and more affected than the proximal convoluted tubules. In both of the tested organs [cerebellum, kidney] the effects of EMR were more destructive and more adverse in irradiated males than irradiated females. The chronic exposure to the radiofrequency radiation of the mobile phone resulted in many histopathological alterations in cerebellum and kidney. The subject which leads us to suggest that these radiations may be neurotoxic and nephrotoxic at least under the conditions used in the present experiment [30 min/ day for cerebellum and 90 min/ day for kidney for a period of 90 days at SAR value of 0.62 W/ Kg]