title: Relationships between sperm DNA fragmentation, sperm apoptotic markers and serum levels of CB-153 and p,p'-DDE in European and Inuit populations.
abstract: Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) are suspected to interfere with hormone activity and the normal homeostasis of spermatogenesis. We investigated the relationships between sperm DNA fragmentation, apoptotic markers identified on ejaculated spermatozoa and POP levels in the blood of 652 adult males (200 Inuits from Greenland, 166 Swedish, 134 Polish and 152 Ukrainian). Serum levels of 2, 2', 4, 4', 5, 5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153), as a proxy of the total POP burden, and of 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE), as a proxy of the total DDT exposure were determined. Sperm DNA fragmentation was measured by using the TUNEL assay, whereas immunofluorescence methods were utilized for detecting pro-apoptotic (Fas) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-xL) markers. Both TUNEL assay and apoptotic markers were statistically differed across the four populations. No correlation between neither sperm DNA fragmentation nor apoptotic sperm parameters and the large variations in POPs exposure was observed for the separate study groups. However, considering the European populations taken together, we showed that both %TUNEL positivity and Bcl-xL were related to CB-153 serum levels, whereas our study failed to demonstrate any relations between DDE and %TUNEL positivity and apoptotic sperm biomarkers (Fas and Bcl-xL) in any region or overall regions. These results suggest that CB-153 and related chemicals might alter sperm DNA integrity and Bcl-xL levels in European adult males, but not in the highly exposed Inuit men. Additional issues (genetic background, lifestyle habits and characterization of total xeno-hormonal activities) need to be investigated in order to fully assess the population variations observed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology and Genetics, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stronati
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Manicardi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cecati
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bordicchia
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spanò
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toft
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bonde
authors.forename: B A G
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Jönsson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rignell-Hydbom
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rylander
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giwercman
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Bonefeld-Jørgensen
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ludwicki
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lesovoy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sakkas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bizzaro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006116:Greenland; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D004930:Inuit; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D013548:Sweden; D014455:Ukraine; D044465:White People; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000032:analysis; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C014024:2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl