Effect of chronic microwave radiation on T cell-mediated immunity in the rabbit |
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Authors: | K. Sri Nageswari K. R. Sarma V. S. Rajvanshi R. Sharan Manju Sharma Vinita Barathwal Vinod Singh |
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Affiliation: | (1) Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, 110010 Delhi Cantt, India;(2) Dept. of Electrical Engineering, IIT, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India;(3) Dept. of Pathology, G.S.V.M Medical College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India;(4) DOE project, EC-EE(RS)/84-87/48, IIT, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India;(5) Present address: Dept. of Science and Technology, 110016 New Delhi, India |
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Abstract: | Experiments were conducted to elucidate the effects of chronic low power-level microwave radiation on the immunological systems of rabbits. Fourteen male Belgian white rabbits were exposed to microwave radiation at 5 mW/cm2, 2.1 GHz, 3 h daily, 6 days/week for 3 months in two batches of 7 each in specially designed miniature anechoicchambers. Seven rabbits were subjected to sham exposure for identical duration. The microwave energy was provided through S band standard gain horns connected to a 4K3SJ2 Klystron power amplifier. The first batch of animals were assessed for T lymphocyte-mediated cellular immune response mechanisms and the second batch of animals for B lymphocyte-mediated humoral immune response mechanisms. The peripheral blood samples collected monthly during microwave/sham exposure and during follow-up (5/14 days after termination of exposures, in the second batch animals only) were analysed for T lymphocyte numbers and their mitogen responsiveness to ConA and PHA. Significant suppression of T lymphocyte numbers was noted in the microwave group at 2 months (P<0.01, % 21.5%) and during follow-up (P<0.01, % 30.2%). The first batch animals were initially sensitised with BCG and challenged with tuberculin (0.03 ml) at the termination of microwave irradiation/sham exposure and the increase in foot pad thickness ( mm), which is a measure of T cell-mediated immunity (delayed type hypersensitivity response, DTH) was noted in both the groups. The microwave group revealed a better response than the control group (%+12.4 vs.+7.54). The animals were sacrified and the tissue T lymphocyte counts (spleen and lymph node) were analysed. No significant variation was observed in the tissue T lymphocyte counts of microwave-irradiated rabbits. From these results it is speculated that the T lymphocytes are sequestered to various lymphoid organs under the influence of microwaves. A sub-population of T cells known as T helper cells (mediating DTH response) are probably not affected by microwave radiation. It is clear from our experiments that although chronic microwave radiation at 5 mW/cm2 leads to suppression of peripheral T lymphocyte numbers, there is no concomitant functional impairment of these cells as evidenced by functional assays. |
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Keywords: | Microwave radiation Sham exposure Delayed type hypersensitivity Mitogen responsiveness T lymphocyte counts |
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