Histopathological Changes in Mouse Adrenal Gland Under Second-Generation Chronic Exposure to so-Hz Magnetic Fields. II. Females

Abstract

Female OF1 mice were chronically exposed to a sinusoidal magnetic field of 50 Hz and 15 µT to determine the possible histological alterations in their adrenal glands caused by this exposure. Mice were sacrificed at 14 weeks of age, and adrenal glands were studied by light and electron microscopy. Both glands of a total of 30 female control mice and 30 experimental ones were used for this study. The morphological parameters measured did not show significant differences between the compared groups. In 30% of the exposed mice one or several of the following morphological variations were found: enlarged capsule, with infiltration of both the zonae glomerulosa and fasciculata; wider zona glomerulosa with hyperplasic micronodules, with the cells showing swollen mitochondria with dilated cristae; in the zona fasciculata, several groups of fuscinophilic cells, dysplasia, hyperplasia with hypertrophy, and even adenoma in a small percentage; in the zona reticularis, the cells had increased lipid content and mitochondrial number.

The normal degeneration of the X zone at this age was found to be retarded in 20% of the exposed animals and advanced in another 20%. In the X zone, we found enlarged vacuolated syncytia with increased cell number, wider connective layer, and active hyperemia. Considering all the alterations found in the exposed animals, around 30% of the animals could be showing hyperfunction of the gland. The experimental magnetic field could be acting as a stressor agent, provoking an adaptative response mediated by variations in the rhythm of ACTH secretion, by the involvement of the pineal-hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal axis.

Key Words:

• Mouse
• Adrenal gland
• Magnetic fields
• Females
• Stress