title: Chronic environmental exposure to lead affects semen quality in a Mexican men population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Male infertility is affected by several factors. Lead is one of the heavy metals more bioavailable than usually modifies the sperm quality in humans.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to establish the role of lead in semen quality in environmentally exposed men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen and blood samples were obtained from two groups: the exposed group (EG=20) and the non-exposed group (NEG=27). Two semen aliquots were used, one to evaluate spermatic quality and the other for lead determination. Blood (PbB) and semen lead (PbS) determination was performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PbB concentration was significantly greater in the EG, 10.10±0.97 µgdL-1 than in the NEG, 6.42±0.38 µgdL-1 (p<0.01), as well as the PbS concentration, with 3.28±0.35 and 1.76±0.14µgdL-1 in the EG and NEG respectively (p=0.043). A significant correlation between PbS and PbB concentration in the EG was found (r=0.573, p=0.038). Overall, the spermatic quality was lower in the EG than in the NEG. Specifically, there were significant differences in the spermatic concentration [EG=43.98±6.26 and NEG=68.78±8.51X10(6) cellmL-1 (p<0.01)], motility [EG=49±7 and NEG=67±4% (p=0.029)], viability [EG=36.32±3.59 and NEG=72.12±1.91% (p<0.01)] and abnormal morphology [EG=67±18 and NEG=32±12% (p<0.01)]. In the immature germ cells (IGC) concentration differences were found only for A cells (EG=8.1±1.1x100 and NEG=3.2±1.9X100 spermatozoa) (p<0.01) and for Sab cells (EG=3.4±2.2x100 and NEG=1.1±1.0X100 spermatozoa) (p=0.041).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that chronic environmental exposure to low levels of lead adversely affect the spermatic quality.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Celular y Ultraestructura, Centro de Investigación Biomédica Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Coahuila, México. ; Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morán-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey, México.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carranza-Rosales
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morales-Vallarta
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: A Heredia-Rojas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, Centro de Investigación Biomédica Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Coahuila, México.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bassol-Mayagoitia
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Celular y Ultraestructura, Centro de Investigación Biomédica Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Coahuila, México.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Denys Betancourt-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Biología Molecular, Genómica y Secuenciación. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México. ; Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: M Cerda-Flores
keywords: Environmental; Infertility; Lead; Spermatic quality