title: Effects of paternal cigarette smoking on testicular function, sperm fertilizing capacity, embryonic development, and blastocyst capacity for implantation in rats.
abstract: We evaluated the effects of paternal smoking on testicular function, sperm fertilizing capacity, embryonic development, and blastocyst capacity for implantation. Rats of group A were exposed to cigarette smoke for 10 weeks. Rats of group B were exposed to the smoke of incense sticks for 10 weeks. Rats of group C served as a control group. Rats of group D were exposed to cigarette smoke for 7 weeks only. Experimental period was 10 weeks in all groups. At the end of the experimental period serum testosterone responses to human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation, androgen-binding protein activity in testicular cytosols, epididymal sperm motility, and oocyte fertilization rate, oocyte cleavage rate, and blastocyst development rate after in vitro fertilization (IVF) trials were significantly smaller in group A compared with groups B and C. In contrast, fertilization rate, cleavage rate, and blastocyst development rate after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures were not significantly different among groups A, B, C, and D. Both after IVF trials and ICSI techniques, the proportion of the alive offspring to the number of transferred oocytes was significantly smaller in group A than in groups B and C. Cigarette smoke-exposure results in a secretory deficiency of Leydig and Sertoli cells leading to an impaired epididymal sperm maturation process and diminished capacity of spermatozoa to penetrate oocytes. In addition paternal cigarette smoke exposure affects the embryonic ability for implantation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Urology and Genetics of Human Reproduction, Department of Urology, Ioannina University School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kapawa
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giannakis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsoukanelis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanakas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baltogiannis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agapitos
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loutradis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Miyagawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sofikitis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D008098:Litter Size; D008297:Male; D018812:Paternal Exposure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology*; D014026:Nicotiana
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D003367:Cotinine