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Effect of Low-Intensity Microwave Radiation on Monoamine Neurotransmitters and Their Key Regulating Enzymes in Rat Brain

Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics volume 73, pages 93–100 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

The increasing use of wireless communication devices has raised major concerns towards deleterious effects of microwave radiation on human health. The aim of the study was to demonstrate the effect of low-intensity microwave radiation on levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and gene expression of their key regulating enzymes in brain of Fischer rats. Animals were exposed to 900 MHz and 1800 MHz microwave radiation for 30 days (2 h/day, 5 days/week) with respective specific absorption rates as 5.953 × 10−4 and 5.835 × 10−4 W/kg. The levels of monoamine neurotransmitters viz. dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E) and serotonin (5-HT) were detected using LC–MS/MS in hippocampus of all experimental animals. In addition, mRNA expression of key regulating enzymes for these neurotransmitters viz. tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) (for DA, NE and E) and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH1 and TPH2) (for serotonin) was also estimated. Results showed significant reduction in levels of DA, NE, E and 5-HT in hippocampus of microwave-exposed animals in comparison with sham-exposed (control) animals. In addition, significant downregulation in mRNA expression of TH, TPH1 and TPH2 was also observed in microwave-exposed animals (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the results indicate that low-intensity microwave radiation may cause learning and memory disturbances by altering levels of brain monoamine neurotransmitters at mRNA and protein levels.

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Acknowledgments

Authors would like to express their gratitude to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India for providing the major grant to support the microwave exposure facility. One of the authors, Kanu Megha, Senior Research Fellow is grateful to Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India for providing INSPIRE Fellowship.

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences & G.T.B. Hospital (University of Delhi), Dilshad Garden, New Delhi, 110095, India

    Kanu Megha, Pravin S. Deshmukh, Ashok K. Tripathi & Basu D. Banerjee

  2. Dr. R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, Department of Ocular Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India

    Alok K. Ravi

  3. Centre for Applied Research in Electronics (CARE), Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India

    Mahesh P. Abegaonkar

Authors
  1. Kanu Megha
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  2. Pravin S. Deshmukh
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  4. Ashok K. Tripathi
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  5. Mahesh P. Abegaonkar
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  6. Basu D. Banerjee
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Correspondence to Basu D. Banerjee.

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Megha, K., Deshmukh, P.S., Ravi, A.K. et al. Effect of Low-Intensity Microwave Radiation on Monoamine Neurotransmitters and Their Key Regulating Enzymes in Rat Brain. Cell Biochem Biophys 73, 93–100 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-015-0576-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-015-0576-x

Keywords

  • Dopamine
  • Epinephrine
  • Microwave
  • Norepinephrine
  • Serotonin
  • Tryptophan hydroxylase
  • Tyrosine hydroxylase