Department of Neurosurgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
Radio Technology Research Department, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Bioelectromagnetics. 2021 Apr;42(3):191-199. doi: 10.1002/bem.22322. Epub 2021 Feb 1.
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.
胎盘可保护胎儿免受妊娠期间母体皮质醇过度应激。我们研究了孕期暴露于射频电磁场（RF-EMF）辐射是否会引起母体和胎盘的变化。将怀孕的 Sprague-Dawley 大鼠分为笼对照、假暴露和 RF 暴露组。从妊娠第 1 天到第 19 天，它们每天全身吸收率为 4 W/kg，接受 8 小时 RF-EMF 信号照射。采用酶联免疫吸附试验检测血液、肾上腺和胎盘皮质醇水平。监测母血中促肾上腺皮质激素和促肾上腺皮质释放激素水平。采用逆转录聚合酶链反应测定胎盘 11β-羟类固醇脱氢酶 2（11β-HSD2）信使 RNA（mRNA）的表达水平。采用苏木精和伊红染色分析胎盘的形态变化。使用 Zen 2.3 blue 版软件测量胎盘胎儿部分。RF 组循环血液中母鼠皮质醇（RF：230±24.6ng/ml 和 Sham：156±8.3ng/ml）和肾上腺皮质醇（RF：58.3±4.5ng/ml 和 Sham：30±3.8ng/ml）明显升高（P<0.05）。胎盘皮质醇保持稳定，RF 暴露组胎盘 11β-HSD2mRNA 表达水平无变化。孕期暴露于 RF-EMF 会导致循环血液中皮质醇水平显著升高；然而，在怀孕大鼠中未观察到胎盘屏障的变化。生物电磁学。©2021 生物电磁学学会。
