Histopathological changes associated with oxidative stress induced by electromagnetic waves in rats’ ovarian and uterine tissues

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the histopathological changes in ovarian
and uterine tissues associated with oxidative stress induced by electromagnetic waves. Thirty
female Sprague-Dawley of 180 g body weight and three months old were used in this study.
The animals were divided into control and experimental groups and were exposed to 1800
MHz GSM radiofrequency radiation emitted by signal generator for 2hrs. /day for 30 and 60
days. Following exposure, serum, ovaries and uterine samples were collected for biochemical
and histopathological investigations. Biochemical analysis showed alterations in oxidative
stress parameters in both ovaries and uterine tissues from the exposed groups. The
histopathological changes were more prominent in experimental groups and vacuolation were
observed in the interstitial, granulosa, luteal cells and ooplasm of the ovaries. . Other
histopathological changes are disorientation of corona radiata and disruption and thinning of
zona pellucida. Cellular nucleus changes similar to fragmentation of nucleus were also seen
and this may indicate the start of degeneration process at Graffian follicles as well as micronuclei formation in oocyte nucleus and in some luteal cells. Histopathological changes
in uterine tissues were confined to increase in height of luminal epithelium cells, severe
apoptosis of glandular and luminal epithelium cells, and severe eosinophils,
polymorphoneuclocytes lymphocytes and macrophages infiltration in myometrium and
endometrium layers. Vascular congestions were also observed indicating the existence of
inflammatory responses in the endometrium. The results from this study suggest that the
potential alteration of antioxidant capacity may contribute to the endometrial oxidative
damage that could be related to the pathogenesis and progression of endometritis.