Objective: To explore the injury effect and mechanism of hypothalamic neurons after high power microwave (HPM) exposure.
Methods: Primarily cultured hypothalamic neurons were exposed to 10 and 30 mW/cm(2) HPM, and the inverted phase contrast microscope (IPCM) and flow cytometry (FCM) were employed to detect the injury of cells and change of mitochondrion membrane potential (MMP) and Ca(2+) in the cytoplasm of neurons.
Results: The ratio of apoptosis was significantly higher than that of the sham exposure (P < 0.05) induced by 10 and 30 mW/cm(2) HPM and necrosis increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the group of 30 mW/cm(2) at 6 h after exposure. The content of Ca(2+) in the cytoplasm of neuron cells increased (P < 0.01) while MMP decreased significantly (P < 0.01) after radiation of 30 mW/cm(2) HPM at 6 h after exposure.
Conclusion: Apoptosis is one of the major death ways of hypothalamic neurons. The overloading of Ca(2+) and the decline of MMP are involved in the process.