title: Sperm DNA oxidative damage and DNA adducts.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate DNA damage and adducts in sperm from coke oven workers who have been exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A longitudinal study was conducted with repeated measurements during spermatogenesis. Coke-oven workers (n=112) from a coke-oven plant served the PAH-exposed group, while administrators and security personnel (n=67) served the control. Routine semen parameters (concentration, motility, vitality, and morphology) were analyzed simultaneously; the assessment of sperm DNA integrity endpoints included DNA fragmentation, bulky DNA adducts, and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGuo). The degree of sperm DNA fragmentation was measured using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay and sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). The PAH-exposed group had a significant increase in bulky DNA adducts and 8-oxo-dGuo compared to the control subjects (Ps=0.002 and 0.045, respectively). Coke oven workers' percentages of DNA fragmentation and denaturation from the PAH-exposed group were not significantly different from those of the control subjects (Ps=0.232 and 0.245, respectively). Routine semen parameters and DNA integrity endpoints were not correlated. Concentrations of 8-oxo-dGuo were positively correlated with percentages of DNA fragmentation measured by both TUNEL and SCSA (Ps=0.045 and 0.034, respectively). However, the concentrations of 8-oxo-dGuo and percentages of DNA fragmentation did not correlate with concentrations of bulky DNA adducts. In summary, coke oven workers with chronic exposure to PAHs experienced decreased sperm DNA integrity. Oxidative stress could contribute to the degree of DNA fragmentation. Bulky DNA adducts may be independent of the formation of DNA fragmentation and oxidative adducts in sperm. Monitoring sperm DNA integrity is recommended as a part of the process of assessing the impact of occupational and environmental toxins on sperm.
authors.affiliation: School of Community and Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, 4608 Hampton Boulevard, Health Sciences Building Room 3140 Norfolk, VA, USA. Electronic address: hjeng@odu.edu.
authors.forename: Hueiwang Anna
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Jeng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Labor, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: chapn@mail.iosh.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Chih-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mu-Rong
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003077:Coke; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000187:drug effects*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D003077:Coke; D018736:DNA Adducts; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D003849:Deoxyguanosine
keywords: Bulky DNA adducts; DNA fragmentation; DNA integrity; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Semen quality