Environmental exposure to arsenic may reduce human semen quality: associations derived from a Chinese cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundRecent observations in in vitro and in vivo models suggest that arsenic (As) is an endocrine disruptor at environmentally-relevant levels. When exposed to As, male rats and mice show steroidogenic dysfunction that can lead to infertility. However, the possible effects of As on human male semen quality remain obscure.MethodsWe monitored the profile of As species in the urine of a reproductive-age human cohort and assessed its association with semen quality. Men (n = 96) were recruited in an infertility clinic from July 2009 to August 2010 in the Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Institute for Population and Family Planning. Five urinary As species were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). Clinical information on the semen volume, sperm concentration and motility was employed to catalogue and evaluate semen quality according to WHO guidelines. As species concentrations in addition to other continuous variables were dichotomized by the medians and modelled as categorical variables in order to explore using the binary logistic regression possible associations between As exposure and semen quality.ResultsUrinary concentrations (geometric mean ± SD, μg g-1 creatinine) of different As species were 7.49 (±24.8) for AsB, 20.9 (±13.7) for DMA, 2.77 (±3.33) for MMA, and 4.03 (±3.67) for Asi (AsiIII and AsiV). DMA concentrations above the median were significantly associated with below-reference sperm concentrations (P =0.02) after adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), abstinence, smoking and drinking habits. In addition, smoking was positively associated with MMA.ConclusionReduced parameters in human semen quality are positively associated with As exposure in a reproductive-age Chinese cohort.

Role of low exposure to metals as male reproductive toxicants

“…The association continued to exist in separate examinations of smokers and nonsmokers. Cd levels in seminal plasma were compared with the levels in nonsmokers from a general population group as reported by other studies (Keck et al 1995) and were lower than those in infertile smokers (Xu et al, 2012; Telisman et al, 2007). Our research finding added evidence that low exposure to Cd in the general population could link to decreased sperm quality, particularly in viability.…”

Maternal arsenic exposure and birth outcomes: A comprehensive review of the epidemiologic literature focused on drinking water

“…Though maternal exposures are likely to be of greater importance, evidence from studies conducted in populations with and without assisted reproduction suggests the relevance of paternal factors for placental function, and possibly for preterm delivery (Sartorius and Nieschlag, 2010). While associations have been reported for environmental iAs exposure and semen quality in animals (Li et al, 2012) and men (Xu et al, 2012), data to specifically address DNA adducts and fragmentation in association with iAs exposure among men has not yet been published to the best of our knowledge. Given the couple-based nature of human reproduction investigation into potential effects for male exposure is warranted.…”

Targeting testis-specific proteins to inhibit spermatogenesis: lesson from endocrine disrupting chemicals

“…Human epidemiological studies have illustrated the possible association between declining male sperm quality and exposure of men to environmental pollutants [17,18,121,122]. Earlier studies revealed that nearly all the components of the male reproductive tract are potential targets of EDCs.…”