Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Endonuclease G is Upregulated and Required in Testicular Germ Cell Apoptosis after Exposure to 60 Hz at 200 µT med./bio.

By: Park S, Kim MW, Kim JH, Lee Y, Kim MS, Lee YJ, Kim YJ, Kim HS, Kim YW
Published in: J Electromagn Eng Sci 2015; 15 (3): 142-150
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Aim of study (acc. to author)

The effects of exposure of rats to a 60 Hz magnetic field on apoptosis and gene expression of apoptosis-related genes in the testes should be investigated.

Background/further details

Rats were divided into 2 groups: 1) exposure and 2) sham exposure.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 60 Hz
Exposure duration: continuous for 24 h/day (except for 3 hours per week for management) for 20 weeks

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 60 Hz
Exposure duration continuous for 24 h/day (except for 3 hours per week for management) for 20 weeks
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber non-metallic polycarbonate cages and covers equipped with water bottles and glass nozzles
Setup 12 rats of each group were housed in six cages with two rats per cage; two orthogonal directional exposure systems with two parallel planes for exposure were used; horizontal coil exposure provided transverse MF direction to simulate human transverse MF exposure under power lines; the cages should be within 800 mm x 800 mm on the plane for ± 10% exposure tolerance; the deviation of measured values of each point at 9 points on the upper and lower planes was less than 5%; the cages were sequentially relocated every week; the noise from the exposed cage had no effect on the rats during 60 Hz exposure
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info for sham exposure, the coils were energized in a bucking mode
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 200 µT - measured and calculated - -
Additional parameter details

the geomagnetic field at the laboratory was 50.1 µT

Reference articles

  • Kim HS et al. (2014): Continuous exposure to 60 Hz magnetic fields induces duration- and dose-dependent apoptosis of testicular germ cells

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Investigated organ system:
Time of investigation:
  • before exposure
  • during exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Exposure to the magnetic field (group 1) significantly increased apoptosis in the testes compared to the sham exposure group (group 2), which was accompanied by a significantly decreased sperm count. Further, the gene expression of endonuclease G (EndoG) was significantly increased in the exposure group compared to the sham exposure group.
Exposure to the magnetic field did not affect the body and testicular weight in rats.
The authors conclude that exposure of rats to a 60 Hz magnetic field could induce apoptosis in the testes involving endonuclease G.

Study character:

Study funded by

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