title: Changes in fatty acid profiles in testis and spermatozoa of red deer exposed to metal pollution.
abstract: Lowered sperm quality associated with reduced superoxide dismutase activity in testis and spermatozoa has been observed in red deer from a mined area in South-central Spain. Here we present fatty acid profiles for testis and spermatozoa of deer from this mined area (n=29) and a control area (n=33). Despite elevated Pb in liver and bone of red deer from this area, concentrations in testis and sperm were not significantly higher than in control areas; however, Cu in testis was lower in mined areas. Testis from mined areas also contained higher percentages of linoleic acid (18:2n-6) and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (20:3n-6), but lower arachidonic acid (20:4n-6). The percentage of 20:4n-6 was also lower in spermatozoa of deer from the mined area. Copper levels in testis correlated positively with the percentage of 20:4n-6. The imbalance in Cu homeostasis caused by metal pollution may have caused the observed effects on deer sperm.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castellanos
authors.forename: Manuel M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Reglero
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Taggart
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mateo
mesh_terms: D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003670:Deer / Q000378:metabolism*; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D008906:Mining; D013030:Spain; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry*; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry*; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008670:Metals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D003300:Copper; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid