Semen Quality in Relation to Xenohormone and Dioxin-like Serum Activity Among Inuits and Three European Populations

Overview

Journal Environ Health Perspect

Date 2008 Jan 5

PMID 18174945

Citations 6

Authors

Gunnar Toft

Manhai Long

Tanja Kruger

Philip S Hjelmborg

Jens Peter Bonde

Anna Rignell-Hydbom

Ewa Tyrkiel

Lars Hagmar

Aleksander Giwercman

Marcello Spano

Davide Bizzaro

Henning S Pedersen

Vladymir Lesovoy

Jan K. Ludwicki

Eva C Bonefeld-Jorgensen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Semen quality in humans may be influenced by exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds.

Objectives: We analyzed associations between semen characteristics and serum xenoestrogen receptor (XER), xenoandrogen receptor (XAR), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) transactivity. XER and XAR activity were measured in serum samples cleared for endogenous steroid hormones and AhR activity in raw lipophilic serum extracts free of proteins.

Results: All together, 319 men from Warsaw (Poland), Greenland, Kharkiv (Ukraine), and Sweden provided semen and blood samples. No strong and consistent associations between xenobiotic activity and semen quality measures were observed in the four populations. However, when the data were combined across populations sperm concentration increased 40% per unit increase in XER activity [95% confidence interval (CI), 1-79%] in the subgroup with XER activity below the reference level. Among subjects with XER activity above the reference level an increase of 14% (95% CI, 2-28%) was found. Furthermore, an increase of 10% motile sperm per unit increase in XER activity below reference level (95% CI, 0.2-20) was found. We are unable to exclude that the associations are chance findings.

Conclusion: Alteration of XER, XAR, or AhR transactivity within the range found in serum from the general European and Inuit population seems not to markedly deteriorate sperm cell concentration, motility, or morphology in adult men.

Citing Articles

Risk for animal and human health related to the presence of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in feed and food.

Knutsen H, Alexander J, Barregard L, Bignami M, Bruschweiler B, Ceccatelli S EFSA J. 2020; 16(11):e05333.

PMID: 32625737 PMC: 7009407. DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5333.

Association between environmental contaminants and health outcomes in indigenous populations of the Circumpolar North.

Singh K, Bjerregaard P, Chan H Int J Circumpolar Health. 2014; 73(1):25808.

PMID: 25491153 PMC: 4261238. DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v73.25808.

Perinatal exposure to low-dose methoxychlor impairs testicular development in C57BL/6 mice.

Du X, Zhang H, Liu Y, Yu W, Huang C, Li X PLoS One. 2014; 9(7):e103016.

PMID: 25048109 PMC: 4105541. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103016.

Environmental/lifestyle effects on spermatogenesis.

Sharpe R Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2010; 365(1546):1697-712.

PMID: 20403879 PMC: 2871918. DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2009.0206.

Dioxin-induced changes in epididymal sperm count and spermatogenesis.

Foster W, Maharaj-Briceno S, Cyr D Environ Health Perspect. 2010; 118(4):458-64.

PMID: 20368131 PMC: 2854720. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0901084.

References

Pentikainen V, Erkkila K, Suomalainen L, Parvinen M, Dunkel L . Estradiol acts as a germ cell survival factor in the human testis in vitro. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000; 85(5):2057-67. DOI: 10.1210/jcem.85.5.6600. View

Kruger T, Hjelmborg P, Jonsson B, Hagmar L, Giwercman A, Manicardi G . Xenoandrogenic activity in serum differs across European and Inuit populations. Environ Health Perspect. 2008; 115 Suppl 1:21-7. PMC: 2174397. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.9353. View

Bonefeld-Jorgensen E, Andersen H, Rasmussen T, Vinggaard A . Effect of highly bioaccumulated polychlorinated biphenyl congeners on estrogen and androgen receptor activity. Toxicology. 2001; 158(3):141-53. DOI: 10.1016/s0300-483x(00)00368-1. View

Ben Rhouma K, Tebourbi O, Krichah R, Sakly M . Reproductive toxicity of DDT in adult male rats. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2001; 20(8):393-7. DOI: 10.1191/096032701682692946. View

Rajapakse N, Silva E, Kortenkamp A . Combining xenoestrogens at levels below individual no-observed-effect concentrations dramatically enhances steroid hormone action. Environ Health Perspect. 2002; 110(9):917-21. PMC: 1240992. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.02110917. View

Schultz R, Suominen J, Varre T, Hakovirta H, Parvinen M, Toppari J . Expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor and aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator messenger ribonucleic acids and proteins in rat and human testis. Endocrinology. 2003; 144(3):767-76. DOI: 10.1210/en.2002-220642. View

Hsu P, Li M, Guo Y . Postnatal exposure of 2,2',3,3',4,6'-hexachlorobiphenyl and 2,2',3,4',5',6-hexachlorobiphenyl on sperm function and hormone levels in adult rats. Toxicology. 2003; 187(2-3):117-26. DOI: 10.1016/s0300-483x(03)00057-x. View

Swan S, Kruse R, Liu F, Barr D, Drobnis E, Redmon J . Semen quality in relation to biomarkers of pesticide exposure. Environ Health Perspect. 2003; 111(12):1478-84. PMC: 1241650. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.6417. View

Sharpe R, Irvine D . How strong is the evidence of a link between environmental chemicals and adverse effects on human reproductive health?. BMJ. 2004; 328(7437):447-51. PMC: 344268. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.328.7437.447. View

10.

Morrow D, Qin C, Smith 3rd R, Safe S . Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated inhibition of LNCaP prostate cancer cell growth and hormone-induced transactivation. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2004; 88(1):27-36. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2003.10.005. View

11.

Fernandez M, Rivas A, Olea-Serrano F, Cerrillo I, Molina-Molina J, Araque P . Assessment of total effective xenoestrogen burden in adipose tissue and identification of chemicals responsible for the combined estrogenic effect. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2004; 379(1):163-70. DOI: 10.1007/s00216-004-2558-5. View

12.

Hess R . Estrogen in the adult male reproductive tract: a review. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2003; 1:52. PMC: 179885. DOI: 10.1186/1477-7827-1-52. View

13.

Bonefeld-Jorgensen E . The Human Health Effect Programme in Greenland, a review. Sci Total Environ. 2004; 331(1-3):215-31. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.03.030. View

14.

Toft G, Hagmar L, Giwercman A, Bonde J . Epidemiological evidence on reproductive effects of persistent organochlorines in humans. Reprod Toxicol. 2004; 19(1):5-26. DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2004.05.006. View

15.

Simanainen U, Adamsson A, Tuomisto J, Miettinen H, Toppari J, Tuomisto J . Adult 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure and effects on male reproductive organs in three differentially TCDD-susceptible rat lines. Toxicol Sci. 2004; 81(2):401-7. DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfh212. View

16.

Van Pottelbergh I, Goemaere S, Zmierczak H, Kaufman J . Perturbed sex steroid status in men with idiopathic osteoporosis and their sons. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004; 89(10):4949-53. DOI: 10.1210/jc.2003-032081. View

17.

Greenland S . Modeling and variable selection in epidemiologic analysis. Am J Public Health. 1989; 79(3):340-9. PMC: 1349563. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.79.3.340. View

18.

Chahoud I, Hartmann J, Rune G, Neubert D . Reproductive toxicity and toxicokinetics of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. 3. Effects of single doses on the testis of male rats. Arch Toxicol. 1992; 66(8):567-72. DOI: 10.1007/BF01973387. View

19.

Gray Jr L, Kelce W, Monosson E, Ostby J, Birnbaum L . Exposure to TCDD during development permanently alters reproductive function in male Long Evans rats and hamsters: reduced ejaculated and epididymal sperm numbers and sex accessory gland weights in offspring with normal androgenic status. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1995; 131(1):108-18. DOI: 10.1006/taap.1995.1052. View

20.

Bonde J, Giwercman A, Ernst E . Identifying environmental risk to male reproductive function by occupational sperm studies: logistics and design options. Occup Environ Med. 1996; 53(8):511-9. PMC: 1128533. DOI: 10.1136/oem.53.8.511. View