title: Sperm quality and DNA integrity of coke oven workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to assess sperm quality and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) integrity of coke oven workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as compared to control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The coke oven workers (N = 52) and administrative staff (N = 35) of a steel plant served as the exposed and control groups, respectively. Exposure to PAHs was assessed by measuring 1-hydroxypyren. Analysis of sperm quality (concentration, motility, vitality, and morphology) was performed simultaneously with sperm DNA integrity analysis, including DNA fragmentation, denaturation, bulky DNA adducts, and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGuo). A questionnaire was conducted to collect demographic and potential confounding data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The coke oven workers had lower percentages of sperm motility, vitality and normal morphology than the control group, but the difference was not significant. For DNA integrity, the coke oven workers had significantly higher concentrations of bulky DNA adducts and 8-oxo-dGuo than the control subjects (p = 0.009 and p = 0.048, respectively). However, DNA fragmentation percentages did not significantly increase as compared to those in the subjects from the control group (p = 0.232). There was no correlation between sperm quality parameters and DNA integrity indicators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occupational exposure of the coke oven workers to PAHs was associated with decreased sperm DNA integrity. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2016;29(6):915-926.
authors.affiliation: Old Dominion University, Norfolk, USA (College of Health Sciences, School of Community and Environmental Health). hjeng@odu.edu.
authors.forename: Hueiwang Anna
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Jeng
authors.affiliation: Council of Labor Affairs, Executive Yuan, Taipei, Taiwan (Institute of Occupational Safety and Health). chpan@mail.ilosh.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Chih-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (Department of Occupational Safety and Health). mrchao@csmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Mu-Rong
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (College of Health Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology). cchiu@kmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chien-Chih
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M Health Science Center, Houston, USA (Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Center for Cancer and Stem Cell Biology). gzhou@ibt.tamhsc.edu.
authors.forename: Guodong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (College of Health Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology). woodnettle2002@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chon-Kit
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Department of Occupational Medicine and Internal Medicine). 810064@ms.kmuh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Wen-Yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000328:Adult; D003077:Coke; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000032:analysis*; D004249:DNA Damage; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000032:analysis*; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D003077:Coke; D018736:DNA Adducts; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011721:Pyrenes; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D003849:Deoxyguanosine; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene
keywords: DNA damage; DNA fragmentation; DNA integrity; bulky DNA adducts; semen quality; sperm