Semen quality and reproductive endocrine function in relation to biomarkers of lead, cadmium, zinc, and copper in men.

Abstract

Blood lead (BPb), activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP), blood cadmium (BCd), serum zinc (SZn), seminal fluid zinc (SfZn), serum copper (SCu), and parameters of semen quality and of reproductive endocrine function were measured in 149 healthy male industrial workers 20-43 years of age. The group contained 98 subjects with slight to moderate occupational exposure to Pb and 51 reference subjects. All of the subjects lived in Zagreb, Croatia. Significant (p < 0.05) correlations of BPb, ALAD, and/or EP with reproductive parameters indicated a Pb-related decrease in sperm density, in counts of total, motile, and viable sperm, in the percentage and count of progressively motile sperm, in parameters of prostate secretory function (SfZn, acid phosphatase, and citric acid in seminal fluid), and an increase in abnormal sperm head morphology, serum testosterone, and estradiol. These associations were confirmed by results of multiple regression, which also showed significant (p < 0. 05) influence of BCd, SZn, SCu, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, or age on certain reproductive parameters. These effects were mainly of lower rank and intensity as compared to Pb-related reproductive effects, whereas BCd contributed to a decrease in sperm motility and an increase in abnormal sperm morphology and serum testosterone. No significant Pb- or Cd-related influence was found on levels of the lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme LDH-C(4) and fructose in seminal fluid or on follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and prolactin in serum. The seminal fluid concentrations of Pb (SfPb) and Cd (SfCd) were measured in 118 of the 149 subjects, and a highly significant (p < 0.0001) correlation was found between BPb and SfPb levels (r = 0.571) and between BCd and SfCd levels (r = 0.490). The overall study results indicate that even moderate exposures to Pb (BPb < 400 microg/L) and Cd (BCd < 10 microg/L) can significantly reduce human semen quality without conclusive evidence of impairment of male reproductive endocrine function.ImagesFigure 1Figure 2Figure 3Figure 4Figure 5

Male Infertility; Evidences, Risk Factors, Causes, Diagnosis and Management in Human

“…In addition, they observed lower motility (<50%) and morphology (<14%), with >35 μg/dL in whole blood. Telisman and colleagues also showed that high lead concentration in blood significantly lowers sperm density and motility (36.7 μg/dL) [75]. High concentrations of lead seem to be clearly associated with sperm damage.…”

Occupational and Lifestyle Exposures on Male Infertility: A Mini Review

“…Other reports have shown a significantly negative correlation between blood lead concentration and semen quality [28,[70][71][72]. Benoff et al [70] determined the relationships between seminal lead levels and acrosome status and artificial insemination cycle fecundity (AI f) in semen donors.…”

Long-term, low-dose lead exposure alters the gonadotropin-releasing hormone system in the male rat.

“…Lead exposure is associated with neurologic (3-6), growth (3,7), and reproductive defects (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25). Lead exposure in men has been associated with abnormalities of spermatogenesis (9,(11)(12)(13)).…”

“…Lead exposure in men has been associated with abnormalities of spermatogenesis (9,(11)(12)(13)). An inverse relationship between blood lead and sperm concentration has been reported (14,15). Animal studies tend to support the conclusion that lead exposure disrupts the reproductive hormones, but clinical studies evaluating the relationship between lead exposure and reproductive hormone changes are inconclusive (8,11).…”