Possible protective effect of melatonin pills at cell phone radiation effect on testicular tissue

Problems such as environment, noise, and electromagnetic pollution affect the life negatively in the current environment. In recent years, increase in using cell phone brought forward to establish new base stations as well. Wires carrying electrical current, radio and television transmitters, cell phones and base stations, high-voltage lines, transformers, electromagnetic area caused by household appliances emitting microwave cause electromagnetic pollution in living area. Base stations and cell phones in particular are found among EMA sources. In the early 21st century, third-generation cell phone to be produced which are used today commonly. These electromagnetic waves that are exposured intensively and to the extent that, biological effects of cell phones were started to be subject for scientific studies recently. Oxidative stress occurring by impairment of pro-oxidant/anti-oxidant in biological systems is associated with a lot of pathologic situation. Because melatonin that is the main secretion of pineal body is propounded to be the most potent radical scavenger among anti-oxidants, the interest in MEL increases and its anti-oxidant characteristic gains importance day by day. The aim of this study is to achieve the structural changes that may be caused by chronically exposure to electromagnetic area in testicular tissue and the protective effect of melatonin on these effects. In our study, 24 male Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 equal groups. Throughout 90-day experiment, there has been no application to control group, while subcutaneous daily melatonin was enjected to the 2nd group, 2100-MHz radiation for 30 minutes in every day was to the 3rd group, subcutaneous melatonin enjection was applied 40 minutes before radiation and then radiation was applied for 30 minutes to the 4th group. During the study, body weights of subjects were measured and recorded every day. At the end of the experiment, testicular tissue was taken from subjects which was sacrificed under high-dose anesthesia, their weights were measured, and histological monitoring methods were applied. Hematoxylin-eosin, Masson's trichrome, and PAS stains were applied to slices received for assessment and their photos were taken under light microscope. After hematoxylin-eosin staining it was seen that, normal testicular tissue structure is observed in control group and also similar findings was observed in melatonin applied group. But it was interesting that spermatids passing the stage of spermiogenesis spread toward lumen and these were to be round and to have elongated-form. In group where radiation was applied, impairment of the regular structure in seminiferous ducts and partly edematous appearance and disintegrations were noted. However, spermatogenic epithelial neck against prominent edema was distinguished to be short. Mature spermiums in lumen were highly low. In group where radiation + melatonin were applied, seminiferous duct structure was seen to be protected against radiation group and epithelial neck appeared similar to control group. In findings from Masson's trichrome stain, findings in control and melatonin groups matched with testicular tissue samplings in staining with Hematoxylin-Eosin. In group where radiation was applied, all structural changes in cells forming seminiferous ducts and shortening in epithelial neck were prominent. In group where radiation + melatonin were applied, degeneration in ducts was noted to reduce. Statistically also, diameter of seminiferous duct was determined to enlarge in group where radiation was applied and epithelial neck was to reduce. When findings of staining with PAS were assessed, basal membrane in control and melatonin groups was being distinguished prominently. In parallel to impairment of shapes of seminiferous ducts in group where radiation was applied, basal membrane was noted to cruise tortuously and to thicken partly. In group where radiation+ melatonin were applied, basal membrane was monitored to protect its thickness partly, while the structure was distinguished to be quite normal. Statistically also, thickness of basal lamina was identified to increase in groups of radiation and radiation + melatonin. Light microscopic and statistical findings were supporting each other. In conclusion, it was on the opinion that high-dose cell phone radiation effects on histological structure of testis and especiallylevel of spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis, while melatonin demonstrates protective effect. Key Words : Mobile Phone, Radiation, Melatonin, Testes