Effect of 900 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation emitted from mobile phone on testicular immunity and the associated risk of testicular germ cell tumor

Abstract

The emission of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) from mobile phones has been implicated in causing inflammatory changes in the testis. Nevertheless, the direct association of these changes with the development of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) remains unclear. Therefore, we purposed to investigate the effect of RF-EMR exposure on inflammatory changes in the testis, cytokine gene expression levels, and the incidence of TGCT. Twenty male Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to either the study or control groups. The study group was exposed to RF-EMR at 900 MHz, 26 V/m, and a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 0.14 W/kg for 4 h/day over 8 weeks. Histopathological analysis, vitality analysis using Annexin V, and real-time polymerase chain reaction for the analysis of interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) cytokine gene expressions were performed on the testicular tissue. The median testis weight (163.0 g [133.0 – 183.0] vs. 179.0 g [134.0 – 195.0], P = 0.012) and volume (0.95 cm3 [0.800 – 1.400] vs. 1.100 cm3 [1.050 – 1.500], P = 0.031) of the study group were significantly lower compared to the control group. The seminiferous tubule damage (P < 0.001) and interstitial edema (P = 0.042) were significantly higher in the study group. The tunica albuginea thickness was significantly reduced in the study group (P < 0.001). The fold changes in the expression levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ increased significantly in the study group. Our findings indicate that RF-EMR exposure causes structural, histopathological, and inflammatory toxic effects on the testis. The observed elevation in gene expression levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ cytokines following RF-EMR exposure suggests their potential role as regulators of TGCT initiation, thereby offering a viable potential therapeutic target in combination with current treatments. Nonetheless, future well-designed studies are necessary to validate our findings.