Air pollution from natural and anthropic sources and male fertility

Abstract

Exposure to air pollution has been clearly associated with a range of adverse health effects, including reproductive toxicity. However, a limited amount of research has been conducted to examine the association between air pollution and male reproductive outcomes, specially semen quality. We performed a systematic review (up to March 2017) to assess the impact of environmental and occupational exposure to air pollution on semen quality. Epidemiological studies focusing on air pollution exposures and male reproduction were identified by a search of the PUBMED, MEDLINE, EBSCO and TOXNET literature bases. Twenty-two studies were included which assess the impact of air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NOx, O3, PAHs) on main semen parameters (sperm concentration, motility, morphology), CASA parameters, DNA fragmentation, sperm aneuploidy and the level of reproductive hormones. The number of studies found significant results supporting the evidence that air pollution may affect: DNA fragmentation, morphology and motility.In summary, most studies concluded that outdoor air pollution affects at least one of the assessed semen parameters. However the diversity of air pollutants and semen parameters presented in the studies included in the review and different study design caused lack of consistency in results and difficulties in comparison.

<p>Fetal Programming of Semen Quality (FEPOS) Cohort – A DNBC Male-Offspring Cohort</p>

“…5 Several factors in adult life have been linked to reduced semen quality, including lifestyle such as smoking, chronic alcohol use, obesity, sleep, and nutrition [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] and occupational and environmental exposures such as sedentary work, radiation, air pollution, bisphenol A, parabens, organophosphate pesticides, pyrethroids, and phthalates. [13][14][15][16][17] Still, subfertility remains unexplained for many, and the underlying causes are far from understood. According to the 'fetal origins of adult disease hypothesis' suggested by Barker and Osmond in 1986, the environment encountered during fetal life is strongly related to the risk of developing non-communicable diseases later in life.…”

The Relationship Between Widespread Pollution Exposure and Oxidized Products of Nucleic Acids in Seminal Plasma and Urine in Males Attending a Fertility Center

“…On the other hand, SP analysis may provide specific information on the male reproductive system and could not reflect the overall exposure [48]. Several studies have highlighted that oxidative stress in the male reproductive tract is related to toxic agent exposure and it is implicated in low sperm quality (motility, viability, and increasing sperm morphological defects) [6,7,9,11,12]. A higher xenobiotic exposure (e.g., acute exposure) could also impair sperm membrane and affect spermatozoa triggering a cascade effect (e.g., increased cell permeability, enzyme inactivation, protein oxidations, and DNA damage).…”

“…Several studies relate male reproduction system disorders to chemical agents, but the relationship between exposure and effect may vary, due to the different mechanisms of toxicity and routes of exposure [6][7][8]. Acute exposures to toxicants that can induce changes in semen parameters are uncommon, while chronic exposures are hard to identify.…”

Association between semen quality among men with different occupational exposures and risk of recurrent spontaneous abortion in island residents

“…It is well documented that outdoor air pollutants (PM 2:5 , PM 10 , SO 2 , NO x , O 3 , PAHs) could affect at least one of the semen parameters (DNA fragmentation, morphology and motility). 35 It is well established that smoking is associated with impaired male fertility, increased DNA damage, aneuploidies and mutations in sperms. These effects could be heritable if smoking-induced de novo mutations occur in the sperms and thus can pass on from fathers to offspring.…”