Effects of exposure to microwaves on cellular immunity and placental steroids in pregnant rats

How neuroactive factors mediates immune responses during pregnancy: An interdisciplinary view

Pregnancy, from insemination to parturition, is a highly complex but well-orchestrated process that requires various organs and systems to participate. Immune system and neuroendocrine system are important regulators in healthy pregnancy. Dozens of neuroactive factors have been detected in human placenta, whether they are locally secreted or circulated. Among them, some are vividly studied such as corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), progesterone and estrogens, while others are relatively lack of research. Though the neuroendocrine-immune interactions are demonstrated in some diseases for decades, the roles of neuroactive factors in immune system and lymphocytes during pregnancy are not fully elucidated. This review aims to provide an interdisciplinary view on how the neuroendocrine system mediate immune system during pregnancy process.

Effect of cell phone use on salivary components; a review of literature

Mobile phones have been increasingly used in the past decade and have become a cultural instrument. There is a great concern over the harmful effects of electromagnetic and radiofrequency waves as well as microwaves generated by mobile phones and their telecommunication stations on health. The saliva plays an important role in preserving oral homeostasis as the first defensive line against the microbial invasion which protects oral mucosa mechanically and immunologically. A search was run in Pub med, Goggle Scholar, Medline, and Web of Science databases using the following keywords: cell phone, mobile phone, antioxidant profile, saliva, oxidative stress, interleukin, and inflammation. Sixty-five published articles were identified. Studies on the use of cell phones as educational aids, the use of immune histochemistry on salivary glands, or the evaluation of saliva in individuals with specific conditions, such as the use of orthodontic brackets, were excluded. In addition, duplicate articles are eliminated, and finally, 14 articles were included in the present study. Nowadays mobile phone is very popular, causing concern about the effect it has on people's health. Parotid salivary glands are in close contact with a cell phone while talking with the phone and the possibility of being affected by them; so this study was designed to investigate the effect of cell phone use on salivary components.

Biological Effects of Exposure to a Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field on the Placental Barrier in Pregnant Rats

The placenta protects the fetus against excessive stress‐associated maternal cortisol during pregnancy. We studied whether exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF‐EMF) radiation during pregnancy can cause changes in dams and their placentas. Pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into cage‐control, sham‐exposed, and RF‐exposed groups. They were exposed to RF‐EMF signals at a whole‐body specific absorption rate of 4 W/kg for 8 h/day from gestational Day 1 to 19. Levels of cortisol in the blood, adrenal gland, and placenta were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticotropin‐releasing hormone were monitored in maternal blood. Expression levels of placental 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β‐HSD2) messenger RNA (mRNA) were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Morphological changes in the placenta were analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Fetal parts of the placenta were measured using Zen 2.3 blue edition software. Maternal cortisol in circulating blood (RF: 230 ± 24.6 ng/ml and Sham: 156 ± 8.3 ng/ml) and the adrenal gland (RF: 58.3 ± 4.5 ng/ml and Sham: 30 ± 3.8 ng/ml) was significantly increased in the RF‐exposed group (P < 0.05). Placental cortisol was stably maintained, and the level of placental 11β‐HSD2 mRNA expression was not changed in the RF‐exposed group. RF‐EMF exposure during pregnancy caused a significant elevation of cortisol levels in circulating blood; however, no changes in the placental barrier were observed in pregnant rats. Bioelectromagnetics. © 2021 Bioelectromagnetics Society

Association Between Mobile Phone Radiation Exposure and the Secretion of Melatonin and Cortisol, Two Markers of the Circadian System: A Review

The extremely important use of mobile phones in the world, at all ages of life, including children and adolescents, leads to significant exposure of these populations to electromagnetic waves of radiofrequency. The question, therefore, arises as to whether exposure to these radiofrequencies (RFs) could lead to deleterious effects on the body's biological systems and health. In the current article, we review the effects, in laboratory animals and humans, of exposure to RF on two hormones considered as endocrine markers: melatonin, a neurohormone produced by the pineal gland and cortisol, a glucocorticosteroid synthesized by the adrenal glands. These two hormones are also considered as markers of the circadian system. The literature search was performed using PubMed, Medline, Web of Sciences (ISI Web of Knowledge), Google Scholar, and EMF Portal. From this review on RF effects on cortisol and melatonin, it appears that scientific papers in the literature are conflicting, showing effects, no effects, or inconclusive data. This implies the need for additional research on higher numbers of subjects and with protocols perfectly controlled with follow-up studies to better determine whether the chronic effect of RF on the biological functioning and health of users exists (or not). Bioelectromagnetics. 2021;42:5-17. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

Effect of Mobile Phone Usage on Nickel Ions Release and pH of Saliva in Patients Undergoing Fixed Orthodontic Treatment

Introduction

Hand held mobile phones are presently the most popular means of communication worldwide and have transformed our lives in many aspects. The widespread use of such devices have resulted in growing concerns regarding harmful effects of radiations emitted by them. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of mobile phone usage on nickel ion release as well as pH of saliva in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances.

Aim

To assess the level of nickel ions in saliva and pH of saliva in mobile phone users undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

Materials and Methods

A total of 42 healthy patients with fixed orthodontic appliance in mouth for a duration of six to nine months were selected for the study. They were divided into experimental group (n=21) consisting of mobile phone users and control group (n=21) of non mobile phone users. Saliva samples were collected from both the groups and nickel ion levels were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy. The pH values were also assessed for both groups using pH meter. Unpaired t-test was used for the data analysis.

Results

Statistical analysis revealed that though the pH levels were reduced and the nickel ion levels were higher in the experimental group compared to the control group, the results were non significant.

Conclusion

Mobile phone usage may affect the pH of saliva and result in increased release of nickel ions in saliva of patients with fixed orthodontic appliances in the oral cavity.

Effect of mobile phone usage time on total antioxidant capacity of saliva and salivary immunoglobulin a

BACKGROUND

Nowadays mobile phone is very popular, causing concern about the effect it has on people's health. Parotid salivary glands are in close contact to cell phone while talking with the phone and the possibility of being affected by them. Limited studies have evaluated the effect of cell phone use on the secretions of these glands; so this study was designed to investigate the effects of duration of mobile phone use on the total antioxidant capacity of saliva.

METHODS

Unstimulated saliva from 105 volunteers without oral lesions collected. The volunteers based on daily usage of mobile phones were divided into three groups then total antioxidant capacity of saliva was measured by Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) method. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 19. ANOVA was used to compare 3 groups and post-hoc Tukey test to compare between two groups.

RESULTS

Average total antioxidant capacities of saliva in 3 groups were 657.91 µmol/lit, 726.77 µm/lit and 560.17 µmol/lit, respectively. The two groups had statistically significant different (P = 0.039).

CONCLUSION

Over an hour talking with a cell phone decreases total antioxidant capacity of saliva in comparison with talking less than twenty minutes.

Effects of exposure to GSM mobile phone base station signals on salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, and immunoglobulin A

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to test whether exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by mobile phone base stations may have effects on salivary alpha-amylase, immunoglobulin A (IgA), and cortisol levels.

METHODS

Fifty seven participants were randomly allocated to one of three different experimental scenarios (22 participants to scenario 1, 26 to scenario 2, and 9 to scenario 3). Each participant went through five 50-minute exposure sessions. The main RF-EMF source was a GSM-900-MHz antenna located at the outer wall of the building. In scenarios 1 and 2, the first, third, and fifth sessions were "low" (median power flux density 5.2 microW/m(2)) exposure. The second session was "high" (2126.8 microW/m(2)), and the fourth session was "medium" (153.6 microW/m(2)) in scenario 1, and vice versa in scenario 2. Scenario 3 had four "low" exposure conditions, followed by a "high" exposure condition. Biomedical parameters were collected by saliva samples three times a session. Exposure levels were created by shielding curtains.

RESULTS

In scenario 3 from session 4 to session 5 (from "low" to "high" exposure), an increase of cortisol was detected, while in scenarios 1 and 2, a higher concentration of alpha-amylase related to the baseline was identified as compared to that in scenario 3. IgA concentration was not significantly related to the exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

RF-EMF in considerably lower field densities than ICNIRP-guidelines may influence certain psychobiological stress markers.

Wound healing effects of porcine placental extracts on rats with thermal injury

BACKGROUND

Placental extracts have been used as Chinese folk medicines to accelerate wound healing. However, the molecular mechanism of placental extracts on wound healing has not been identified. It is known that fibroblast growth factors (FGF) and transforming growth factors (TGF) are two key factors involved in wound healing.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the molecular mechanism of placental extracts on wound healing.

METHODS

The protein levels of both growth factors in rat skins with thermal injury were therefore studied to explore the molecular mechanism of placental extracts on wound healing. As cell proliferation is essential for wound healing, effects of placental extracts on fibroblast proliferation were also determined.

RESULTS

As compared with the controls, the S phase of fibroblasts was significantly increased by 1.5-, 1.7- and 4.7-fold for 1, 10 and 30 mg mL(-1) of placental extracts, respectively. The increase of the S phase was not due to the minute amount of sex hormones in the placental extracts as the addition of equivalent amounts of hormones showed no increase of the S phase. In addition, a 2.5-fold increase of TGF-beta1 in wound skin biopsy was noticed with 30 mg mL(-1) of porcine placental extracts. The FGF levels in the wound skin receiving 30 mg mL(-1) of porcine placental extracts were also significantly increased compared with the controls.

CONCLUSIONS

These ex vivo data support the observation that the application of 30 mg mL(-1) of placental extracts reduced the wound healing time by about 50%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to explore the molecular mechanisms of porcine placental extracts on wound healing. These results may provide the insight into the potential use of porcine placental extracts as an alternative medicine for accelerating wound healing.

Natural killer cell activity reduced by microwave exposure during pregnancy is mediated by opioid systems

We have previously demonstrated immunosuppression including reduced splenic natural killer cell activity (NKCA) in pregnant rats exposed to microwaves produced mainly by their thermal action. To examine the involvement of opioid systems in reduced NKCA in pregnant rats exposed to microwaves at a relatively low level (2 mW/cm2 incident power density at 2450 MHz for 90 min), we assayed beta-endorphin (betaEP) in blood, pituitary lobes, and placenta as well as splenic NKCA in virgin and/or pregnant rats. Although microwaves elevated colonic temperatures by 0.8 degreesC for virgin and 0.9 degreesC for pregnant rats, and betaEP in blood and anterior pituitary lobes (AP) significantly, it did not change blood corticosterone as an index of hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis. There were significant interactions between pregnancy and microwave exposure on splenic NKCA, betaEP in both blood and AP, and blood progesterone. Intra-peritoneal administration of opioid receptor antagonist naloxone prior to microwave exposure increased NKCA, blood, and placental betaEP in pregnant rats. Alterations in splenic NKCA, betaEP and progesterone in pregnant rats exposed to microwaves may be due to both thermal and nonthermal actions. These results suggest that NKCA reduced by microwaves during pregnancy is mediated by the pituitary opioid system.

Endogenous opiates: 1997

This paper is the twentieth installment of our annual review of research concerning the opiate system. It summarizes papers published during 1997 that studied the behavioral effects of the opiate peptides and antagonists, excluding the purely analgesic effects, although stress-induced analgesia is included. The specific topics covered this year include stress; tolerance and dependence; eating and drinking; alcohol; gastrointestinal, renal, and hepatic function; mental illness and mood; learning, memory, and reward; cardiovascular responses; respiration and thermoregulation; seizures and other neurologic disorders; electrical-related activity; general activity and locomotion; sex, pregnancy, and development; immunologic responses; and other behaviors.