OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of electromagnetic pulses (EMP) on the apoptosis and transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGF-β3) expression of mouse testis tissue.

METHODSThirty-two male BALB/c mice were randomly and equally divided into one control group and three EMP treated groups, which were whole-body exposed to EMP at 200 kV/m with 100, 200, and 400 pulses, respectively. The control group received no treatment. The pathological changes and cell apoptosis in testis tissue were analyzed by TUNEL assay. The mRNA expression of TGF-β3 in testis tissue was determined by RT-PCR, and the protein expression of TGF-β3 was determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.

RESULTSNo obvious pathological changes were found in testis tissue after EMP exposure at 200 kV/m with 100 and 200 pulses. However, after EMP exposure with 400 pulses, degeneration and shedding of testis tissue, accompanied by significant increase in apoptosis rate (P < 0.05), was observed. The RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot showed that the expression of TGF-β3 mRNA and protein increased significantly after EMP exposure with 400 pulses as compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEMP exposure at 200 kV/m with 400 pulses increases the incidence of apoptosis and expression of TGF-β3 in mouse testis tissue, which is potentially one of the mechanisms by which EMP increases blood-testis barrier permeability in mice.