The Effect of Radiation Emitted by Cell Phone on The Gelatinolytic Activity of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and -9 of Mouse Pre-Antral Follicles during In Vitro Culture.

OBJECTIVE: The unfavorable effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by the cell phone on reproduction health are controversial. Metalloproteinases play a vital role in ovarian follicle development. This study was designed to investigate the effects of exposure to the cell phone on the gelatinolytic activity of in vitro cultured mouse pre-antral follicle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, pre-antral follicles were isolated from ovaries of immature mice (n=16) and cultured with or without exposure to the cell phone in talking mode for 60 minutes. The gelatinolytic activity was evaluated through the zymography method, as well as the gene expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) namely MMP-2 and -9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) namely, TIMP-1 and -2 by the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Also, in parallel, the development of pre-antral follicles was assessed. RESULTS: The maturation parameters of the cell phone-exposed pre-antral follicles were significantly lower compared with the control group (P<0.05). The gelatinolytic activity was significantly decreased in the cell phone-exposed preantral follicles compared with the control group (P<0.05). The relative mRNA expression of the MMP-2 gene was significantly (P<0.05) increased in the cell phone-exposed pre-antral follicles whereas the expression rate of the MMP-9 gene was considerably (P<0.05) reduced when compared with the control group. Conversely, the relative expression of the TIMP-1 was markedly (P<0.05) increased in the cell phone-exposed pre-antral follicles while the expression of the TIMP-2 was (P<0.05) significantly diminished in comparison with the control group. CONCLUSION: Exposure to the cell phone alters the growth and maturation rate of murine ovarian follicle through the changing in the expression of the MMP-2 and -9 genes, as well as the gelatinolytic activity.

Exposure to cell phone induce oxidative stress in mice preantral follicles during in vitro cultivation: An experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Radiations emitting from mobile phones have been proposed to affect people's health, mediated by various mechanisms like induction of oxidative stress. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the effect of cell phone exposure on the oxidative status of mice preantral follicles (PFs) during in vitro culture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PFs (n░=░2580) were isolated mechanically from 16 to 18 day-old NMRI mice (n░=░50) and divided into control and cell phone-exposed groups. PFs were cultured for 12 days and ovulation was induced using human chorion gonadotropin. The developmental parameters including size, survival, antral cavity formation, ovulation and oocyte maturation were assessed. In parallel, enzymatic antioxidants activities, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were evaluated. RESULTS: The diameters and the rates of survival, antrum formation, ovulation, and metaphase II oocytes of exposed PFs to cell phone were significantly lower than those of the control group (p░≤░0.001). The PFs exposed to cell phone had significantly lower superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and catalase (CAT) activity compared with the control group. In the cell phone exposed PFs, the TAC level was significantly lower (p░≤░0.001) and MDA levels was significantly higher (p░≤░0.001), compared tothe those of control group. CONCLUSION: Exposure to cell phone compromised the developmental competence of mice PFs by increasing oxidative stress.