The effects of Paternal Radiofrequency Radiation Exposure on Sperm and Testicular Integrity in F1-Male Swiss Albino Mice

Abstract

The escalating prevalence of infertility and reproductive malignancies in the youth demographic warrants thorough investigation. The escalating ubiquity of communication devices, such as mobile phones and Wi-Fi, exposes individuals to unprecedented levels of Radiofrequency Radiation (RFR), raising concerns about its potential association with reproductive issues and cancer. In this study, we endeavored to elucidate the impact of RFR exposure on the fertility of F0 male Swiss albino mice, as well as the consequential effects on sperm quality and testicular morphology in F1 male mice during adulthood. F0 male mice were subjected to RFR exposure for 3 hours per day, twice daily, over a span of 35 days, followed by mating with naive, unexposed females, culminating in a comprehensive endpoint evaluation. The repercussions of RFR exposure included a diminution in sperm count, heightened incidence of sperm defects, augmented DNA damage in both sperm and bone marrow cells, diminished sperm viability, and aberrations in testicular histology. Subsequent mating of exposed male mice with naive females revealed no discernible effects on pregnancy outcomes, as indicated by the fertility index, litter size, and copulation index.Nevertheless, F1 male offspring exhibited a noteworthy reduction in sperm count and depletion of the germinal epithelium within seminiferous tubules in the testes. These findings propose that RFR exposure to F0 males may precipitate diminished sperm count in subsequent F1 generations, implicating the potential role of epigenetic modulation through the male germline.