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Xu CS, Zhou Y, Jiang Z, Wang LE, Huang JJ, Zhang TY, Zhao Y, Shen W, Zou SH, Zang LL. The in vitro effects of gibberellin on human sperm motility. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 11:3080-3093. [PMID: 31118311 PMCID: PMC6555458 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Gibberellin, a plant growth regulator, is widely used to increase the shelf life and quality of fruits and vegetables. In this study, human semen samples were exposed to different concentrations of gibberellin, which reduced spermatozoa motility in vitro. Gibberellin exposure also increased levels of reactive oxygen species and the protein levels of apoptosis markers in human sperm. Gibberellin inhibited the activity of Na+/K+-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and Ca2+-ATPase, which maintain the stability of ions inside and outside the membranes of spermatozoa. Moreover, gibberellin exposure suppressed adenosine triphosphate production and reduced the protein levels of adenosine triphosphate synthases, which may have induced the protein expression of adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its phosphorylated form. These results suggest that gibberellin reduces human sperm motility in vitro by increasing reactive oxygen species levels and reducing ATPase activity, which may upregulate AMPK and consequently reduce the fertilization potential of spermatozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Shuang Xu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Qingdao Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266034, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Qingdao Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266034, China
| | - Zhou Jiang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Qingdao Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266034, China
| | - Li-E Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Qingdao Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266034, China
| | - Jiao-Jiao Huang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Qingdao Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266034, China
| | - Tian-Yu Zhang
- Institute of Reproductive Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Yong Zhao
- Institute of Reproductive Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Wei Shen
- Institute of Reproductive Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Shu-Hua Zou
- The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Li-Li Zang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Qingdao Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266034, China
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102
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Skakkebaek NE, Jørgensen N, Andersson AM, Juul A, Main KM, Jensen TK, Toppari J. Populations, decreasing fertility, and reproductive health. Lancet 2019; 393:1500-1501. [PMID: 30983583 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)30690-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Niels E Skakkebaek
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark.
| | - Niels Jørgensen
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Anna-Maria Andersson
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Anders Juul
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Katharina M Main
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Jorma Toppari
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku and Department of Paediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
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Abstract
Importance Temporal global trends of sperm quality remain a matter of debate. Objective The aim of this study was to present a comprehensive review of studies reporting on sperm quality counts, summarize the main end points, and assess the main reasons for potential discrepancies. Evidence Acquisition An evidence-based review of PubMed and Scopus databases was performed regarding studies reporting on modification of sperm quality counts, independently of study character, study language, or date. Results Since the meta-analysis of Carlsen et al in 1992 (Br Med J 1992;305:609-613) that suggested an annual decline in sperm count of 1%, several reports confirmed the decline in sperm quality, whereas others disproved them, suggesting a slight increase or absence of change in sperm count. Such controversies may be attributed to geographical and time-related variability in sperm values and also to several confounding factors that influence the semen parameters. Intrinsic weaknesses of the studies include heterogeneity of subjects recruited, lack of adjustment for confounding factors, and samples that do not always represent the general population. Conclusions No consensus exists on whether sperm counts actually decrease because studies' results are often controversial or inconclusive with methodological deficiencies. More prospective, large-scale, population based studies are needed in order to provide sound evidence of possible global trends in sperm count.
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104
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Priskorn L, Bang AK, Nordkap L, Krause M, Mendiola J, Jensen TK, Juul A, Skakkebaek NE, Swan SH, Jørgensen N. Anogenital distance is associated with semen quality but not reproductive hormones in 1106 young men from the general population. Hum Reprod 2019; 34:12-24. [PMID: 30452659 PMCID: PMC6295959 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dey326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is anogenital distance (AGD) associated with semen quality and reproductive hormones in men from the general population? SUMMARY ANSWER Short AGD measured from the anus to the base of scrotum (AGDAS) was associated with reduced sperm counts and morphology but not with sperm motility or reproductive hormones. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY AGD is longer in males than in females. In rodents, AGD is a well-established and sensitive marker of disruption during the masculinization programming window in utero and it has been suggested to be so in humans as well. Therefore, the average AGD would be expected to be shorter in men with poor semen quality, which some studies have confirmed while others have not. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This cross-sectional population-based study was of 1106 men included between 2012 and 2016. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Men from the general Danish population (median age 19 years), unselected with regard to fertility status and semen quality, delivered a semen sample, had a blood sample drawn, which was analyzed for concentrations of reproductive hormones, and answered a comprehensive questionnaire. They also had a physical examination performed including determination of AGD measured as the distance between anus and scrotum (AGDAS) and penis (AGDAP). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI were estimated for a man having abnormal semen parameters according to the World Health Organization's reference values or a low/high concentration of reproductive hormones (defined as the lowest or highest 10%) depending on AGD. AGD was categorized in four strata: ≤10th percentile, 10th-30th percentile, 30th-50th percentile and >50th percentile. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Men with the 10% shortest AGDAS had a more than doubled risk (OR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.40-3.42) of being in the subfertile range for either sperm concentration (<15 million/mL) or sperm morphology (<4%) compared to men with AGDAS above the median (reference). Men in the 10th-30th percentile also had an increased OR of 1.48 (95% CI: 1.06-2.08) but not men in the 30th-50th percentile (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.81-1.62). AGDAP was only weakly related to semen quality. AGD was not associated with testicular volume or any of the reproductive hormones. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Limitations include the potential non-differential misclassification of reproductive outcomes based on a single semen and blood sample and some between-examiner differences in AGD measurements which introduces noise and may result in an underestimation of observed associations. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our study of men from the general population confirmed associations between AGD and semen quality, supporting the hypothesis that AGD in humans could be a marker of fetal testicular development. This suggests that the low semen quality in Danish men may partly be explained by prenatal factors. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The study has received financial support from the ReproUnion (L.P.); the Research fund of Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital (N.J.); Grants R01ES016863-04 and R01ES016863-02S4; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences grant (P30ES023515) (S.S.); the European Union (Contract numbers BMH4-CT96-0314, QLK4-CT-1999-01422, QLK4-CT-2002-00603, FP7/2007-2013, DEER Grant agreement no. 212844); the Danish Ministry of Health; the Danish Environmental Protection Agency; A.P. Møller and wife Chastine McKinney Møllers foundation; and Svend Andersens Foundation. None of the funders had any role in the study design, collection, analysis or interpretation of data, writing of the paper or publication decisions. The authors have nothing to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Priskorn
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - A K Bang
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - L Nordkap
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - M Krause
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - J Mendiola
- Division of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Murcia School of Medicine and Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - T K Jensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - A Juul
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - N E Skakkebaek
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - S H Swan
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - N Jørgensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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105
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Luo L, Li E, Zhao S, Wang J, Zhu Z, Liu Y, Luo J, Zhao Z. Gasoline exhaust damages spermatogenesis through downregulating α6-integrin and β1-integrin in the rat model. Andrologia 2018; 50:e13045. [PMID: 29781095 DOI: 10.1111/and.13045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The health influence of air pollution has been an international public health concern. Increasing evidence has suggested that air pollution has been associated with decreased sperm quality. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not fully elucidated. We aimed to verify whether gasoline exhaust leads to reproductive impairment by injuring spermatogonial stem cells and explore its underlying molecular mechanism. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: the exposure group (n = 10) and the control group (n = 10). After 6-month exposure, the sperm count and morphology were determined. The histological changes in the seminiferous tubules were examined by HE staining. The expression of α6-integrin and β1-integrin was assessed with Quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot and Immunohistochemical staining. Compared with control group, male rats exposed to gasoline exhaust showed significantly reduced sperm count, increased sperm abnormality rate and the total number of spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes, spermatids were decreased. (all p < .01). The expression levels of α6-integrin and β1-integrin in the exposure group were significantly lower than those in the control group (all p < .01). Our study showed that exposure to gasoline exhaust caused impairment to spermatogonial stem cells through downregulating α6-integrin and β1-integrin.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Luo
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of GuangZhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - E Li
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of GuangZhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - S Zhao
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of GuangZhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - J Wang
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of GuangZhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Z Zhu
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of GuangZhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Y Liu
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of GuangZhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - J Luo
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of GuangZhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Z Zhao
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of GuangZhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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106
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Wahlberg A. Exposed Biologies and the Banking of Reproductive Vitality in China. SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY 2018. [DOI: 10.1177/0971721818762895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The looming figures of smog-choked cities, cancer villages and contaminated food have become iconic of a modernising China: the tragic, perhaps unavoidable, side effects of a voracious economy. In this article, I examine how the sperm bank—jingzi ku—in China has emerged quite literally as a sanctuary of vitality amidst concerns around food safety, air and water pollution, rising infertility and declining population quality. As a twist on Margaret Lock’s concept of ‘local biologies’, I argue that ‘exposed biologies’ have become a matter of concern in China in ways that have corroborated a place for hi-tech sperm banks within China’s restrictive reproductive complex. Exposed biologies are a side effect of modernisation processes, as industrially manufactured chemicals are increasingly held culpable for a range of pathologies, from cancers to metabolic diseases, disorders of sex development and infertility. Amidst concerns that pollution and modern lifestyles are deteriorating sperm quality in China, the sperm bank stands out as a repository of screened, purified and quality-controlled vitality, and as such sperm banking can be seen as a form of reproductive insurance, not only for individuals but also for the nation.
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107
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Kim KII, Jo J. The effectiveness of Korean medicine treatment in male patients with infertility: a study protocol for a prospective observational pilot study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2018; 97:e9696. [PMID: 29369195 PMCID: PMC5794379 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000009696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Male factor subfertility has increasingly been considered the cause of infertility in couples. Many men with male infertility have sperm problems such as oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, or teratozoospermia. Because abnormal semen parameters are idiopathic to some extent, no standard therapy has been established to date. Herbal medicine has been reported to have beneficial properties in the treatment of subfertility, especially in improving semen quality both in vivo and in human studies. Therefore, we intend to investigate the effectiveness and safety of treatment using Korean medicine (KM) for infertile male patients with poor semen quality.This will be a single-center, prospective, case-only observational pilot study. About 20 male patients with infertility who visit Conmaul Hospital of Korean Medicine will be recruited. We will follow the standard treatment protocol, which has shown good results in the treatment of male infertility. The protocol is composed mainly of a 10-week herbal decoction treatment; acupuncture and/or pharmacopuncture are added when needed. Semen samples, quality of life, and the scrotal temperatures of infertile men will be observed before and after the 10-week treatment with KM.The study has received ethical approval from the Public Institutional Review Board (approval number: P01-201708-21-008). The findings will be disseminated to appropriate audiences via peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION Korean Clinical Trial Registry (CRIS), Republic of Korea: KCT0002611.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwan-II Kim
- Department of Clinical Korean Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University
| | - Junyoung Jo
- Department of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology, Conmaul Hospital of Korean Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Melatonin ameliorates restraint stress-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in testicular cells via NF-κB/iNOS and Nrf2/ HO-1 signaling pathway. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9599. [PMID: 28851995 PMCID: PMC5575312 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09943-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Decline in semen quality has become a global public health concern. Psychological stress is common in the current modern society and is associated with semen decline. Increasing evidence demonstrated that melatonin has anti-apoptotic and antioxidant functions. Whether melatonin can ameliorate the damage in testes induced by psychological stress has never been investigated. Here, a mouse model of restraint stress demonstrated that melatonin normalized the sperm density decline, testicular cells apoptosis, and testicular oxidative stress in stressed male mice. Melatonin decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) activities, and downregulated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) activities in stressed mice testes. Furthermore, melatonin reduced the stress-induced activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway by decreasing the phosphorylation of nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha (IκBα) and p65 nuclear translocation. In addition, melatonin upregulated the expression of anti-oxidant proteins including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Meanwhile, in vitro studies also demonstrated melatonin could reduce oxidative apoptosis of testicular cells. Collectively, melatonin mitigated psychological stress-induced spermatogenic damage, which provides evidence for melatonin as a therapy against sperm impairment associated with psychological stress.
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109
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Perinatal exposure to 2,2',4'4' -Tetrabromodiphenyl ether induces testicular toxicity in adult rats. Toxicology 2017; 389:21-30. [PMID: 28712647 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Since 1965, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used internationally as flame-retardant additives. PBDEs were recently withdrawn from commerce in North America and Europe due to their environmental persistence, bioaccumulative properties and endocrine-disrupting effects. Generations exposed perinatally to the highest environmental doses of PBDE account for one-fifth of the total United States population. While, toxicity of PBDE for the male reproductive system has been demonstrated in several human and animal studies, the long-lasting effects of perinatal exposures on male reproduction are still poorly understood. In this study, pregnant Wistar rats were exposed to 0.2mg/kg 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) from gestation day 8 until postnatal day 21. Male reproductive outcomes were analyzed on postnatal day 120 in offspring. Exposed animals had significantly smaller testes, displayed decreased sperm production per testis weight, had significantly increased percentage of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa, and showed an increase in spermatozoa head size. Perinatal BDE-47 exposure led to significant changes in testes transcriptome, including suppression of genes essential for spermatogenesis and activation of immune response genes. In particular, we observed a 4-fold average decrease in expression of protamine and transition protein genes in testes, suggesting that histone-protamine exchange may be dysregulated during spermatogenesis, resulting in an aberrant sperm epigenome. The possibility of long-lasting effects of developmental PBDE exposures calls for additional studies to build a foundation for the development of preventive and protective interventions against the environmentally-induced decline in fertility.
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110
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Horan TS, Marre A, Hassold T, Lawson C, Hunt PA. Germline and reproductive tract effects intensify in male mice with successive generations of estrogenic exposure. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006885. [PMID: 28727826 PMCID: PMC5519010 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothesis that developmental estrogenic exposure induces a constellation of male reproductive tract abnormalities is supported by experimental and human evidence. Experimental data also suggest that some induced effects persist in descendants of exposed males. These multi- and transgenerational effects are assumed to result from epigenetic changes to the germline, but few studies have directly analyzed germ cells. Typically, studies of transgenerational effects have involved exposing one generation and monitoring effects in subsequent unexposed generations. This approach, however, has limited human relevance, since both the number and volume of estrogenic contaminants has increased steadily over time, intensifying rather than reducing or eliminating exposure. Using an outbred CD-1 mouse model, and a sensitive and quantitative marker of germline development, meiotic recombination, we tested the effect of successive generations of exposure on the testis. We targeted the germline during a narrow, perinatal window using oral exposure to the synthetic estrogen, ethinyl estradiol. A complex three generation exposure protocol allowed us to compare the effects of individual, paternal, and grandpaternal (ancestral) exposure. Our data indicate that multiple generations of exposure not only exacerbate germ cell exposure effects, but also increase the incidence and severity of reproductive tract abnormalities. Taken together, our data suggest that male sensitivity to environmental estrogens is increased by successive generations of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tegan S. Horan
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Alyssa Marre
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Terry Hassold
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Crystal Lawson
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Patricia A. Hunt
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
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112
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Has normal donor semen quality changed in the People's Republic of China? Fertil Steril 2017; 107:61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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