Low lead environmental exposure alters semen quality and sperm chromatin condensation in northern Mexico.
We evaluated environmental-lead (Pb) effects on semen quality and sperm chromatin, considering Pb in seminal fluid (PbSF), spermatozoa (PbSpz), and blood (PbB) as exposure biomarkers in urban men (9.3 microg/dL PbB). Several individuals (44%) showed decreases in sperm quality; sperm concentration, motility, morphology and viability associated negatively with PbSpz, whereas semen volume associated negatively with PbSF. Multiple linear regression estimated PbSF and PbSpz thresholds for alterations in semen quality. Forty-eight percent of samples showed high values of nuclear chromatin condensation (NCD) positively associated with PbSF and zinc in spermatozoa (ZnSpz). ZnSpz values were higher than in fertile men. These results suggest that Pb may affect sperm chromatin by altering sperm Zn availability. PbB was not associated with semen quality or NCD, suggesting that Pb in semen compartments assesses better the amount of Pb in the reproductive tract; therefore, these are better biomarkers to evaluate toxicity at low Pb-exposure levels.
Hernández-Ochoa
Isabel
I
Sección Externa de Toxicología, CINVESTAV-IPN, Ave. IPN #2508, Colonia Zacatenco, México D.F. 07360, Mexico.
García-Vargas
Gonzalo
G
López-Carrillo
Lizbeth
L
Rubio-Andrade
Marisela
M
Morán-Martínez
Javier
J
Cebrián
Mariano E
ME
Quintanilla-Vega
Betzabet
B
D000328:Adult; D002843:Chromatin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012661:Semen / Q000187:drug effects; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D015032:Zinc / Q000009:adverse effects
D002843:Chromatin; D007854:Lead; D015032:Zinc