Human sperm aneuploidy after exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was associated with sperm aneuploidy. A sample of 181 men who attended an infertility clinic for diagnostic purposes and who had a normal semen concentration of 20-300 × 106 spermatozoa mL-1 or slight oligozoospermia (semen concentration of 15-20 × 106 spermatozoa mL-1; WHO 1999) provided urine and semen samples. Analysis of the level of PAH biomarker 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) in urine was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Sperm aneuploidy was assessed using multicolour florescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) using DNA probes specific for chromosomes X, Y, 18, 13 and 21. Positive associations were observed between the level of 1-OHP in urine and total sex-chromosome disomy (P = 0.03) and chromosome-18 disomy (P = 0.03). These results suggest that environmental exposure to PAHs may be associated with sperm aneuploidy. This is the first epidemiological study to investigate the relationship between environmental exposure to PAHs and sperm aneuploidy. Therefore, these findings require further replication in other populations using different biomarkers of PAH exposure.
Department of Gynaecology and Reproduction, Gameta Hospital 34/36 Rudzka Street, 95-030, Rzgów, Poland.|Corresponding authors. Emails.
Michal
M
Radwan
Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, 8 Teresy Street, 91-348 Lodz, Poland.|Corresponding authors. Emails.
Joanna
J
Jurewicz
Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, 8 Teresy Street, 91-348 Lodz, Poland.
Wojciech
W
Sobala
Department of Chemical Safety, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, 8 Teresy Street, 91-348 Lodz, Poland.
Slawomir
S
Brzeznicki
Department of Gynaecology and Reproduction, Gameta Hospital 34/36 Rudzka Street, 95-030, Rzgów, Poland.
Pawel
P
Radwan
Department of Medical Genetics, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital - Research Institute, 281/289 Rzgowska Street, 93-338 Lodz, Poland.
Lucjusz
L
Jakubowski
Department of Medical Genetics, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital - Research Institute, 281/289 Rzgowska Street, 93-338 Lodz, Poland.
Wanda
W
Hawula
Department of Medical Genetics, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital - Research Institute, 281/289 Rzgowska Street, 93-338 Lodz, Poland.
Anna
A
Ulanska
Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, 8 Teresy Street, 91-348 Lodz, Poland.
Wojciech
W
Hanke
FISH; PAH exposure; environmental exposure to PAH; level of 1-OHP; male fertility; sperm disomy