Protective Effect of Vitamin E Supplement in Electromagnetic Field Induced Damages in Spleen: An Ultrastructural and Light Microscopic Studies

Considerable attention is focused on effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) and its increasing use in everyday life. Appliances and various equipments are sources of electromagnetic fields with a wide-range of technical characteristics. Twenty four male Wistar rats were selected and divided into three groups (Control, test group 1, test group 2). The test group 1 was exposed to EMF (50 Hz, 3 mT) 8 hours a day, 6 days per week for two months. Test group 2 was exposed to EMF (50 Hz, 3 mT) 8 hours a day, 6 days per week for two months but received 30 mg Vitamin E/day in their food. The rats in control group neither were exposed to electromagnetic field nor received Vitamin E. At the end of 2 months, the rats in all groups were sacrificed, dissected and samples from spleen in all groups were taken and processed for light and electron microscopic studies. 40 microscopic fields from each group were randomly selected and studied. The data showed that in the spleen of test groupl the diameter of white pulps and the number of megakaryocytes were reduced, while the number of macrophages was increased and also EM study showed that totally cellular nuclei were heterochromatic in comparison to control group. Test group 2 was similar to control group. These findings indicated that immune system is weakened by electromagnetic field. However, Vitamin E supplementation prevented above alteration.