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Fertility and markers of male reproductive function in Inuit and European populations spanning large contrasts in blood levels of persistent organochlorines

Bonde, Jens Peter ; Toftl, Gunnar ; Rylander, Lars LU orcid ; Rignell-Hydbom, Anna LU ; Giwercman, Aleksander LU ; Spano, Marcelli ; Manicardi, Gian Carlo ; Bizzaro, Davide ; Ludwicki, Jan K. and Zvyezday, Valentina , et al. (2008) In Environmental Health Perspectives 116(3). p.269-277
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We synthesized the main findings from an international epidemiologic study on the impact of biopersistent organic pollutants (POPs) on human reproductive function. DATA SOURCES AND EXTRACTION: We used a database with interview and biological data from 2,269 women and their spouses, and 18 published core papers. DATA SYNTHESIS: The study did not provide direct evidence of hormone-like activity of the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener CB-153 and the main dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) metabolite, 1 1 1 -dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p'-DDE), as serum concentrations of these compounds were not consistently related to either endogenous or exogenous hormone activity in serum. Nevertheless several links... (More)
OBJECTIVE: We synthesized the main findings from an international epidemiologic study on the impact of biopersistent organic pollutants (POPs) on human reproductive function. DATA SOURCES AND EXTRACTION: We used a database with interview and biological data from 2,269 women and their spouses, and 18 published core papers. DATA SYNTHESIS: The study did not provide direct evidence of hormone-like activity of the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener CB-153 and the main dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) metabolite, 1 1 1 -dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p'-DDE), as serum concentrations of these compounds were not consistently related to either endogenous or exogenous hormone activity in serum. Nevertheless several links bewteen POP exposure and biomarkers of male reproductive function were identified. First, an association between high CB-153 serum levels and low sperm counts was detected within a subgroup of men with short androgen receptor CAG repeat length. Second, a relationship between increased CB-153 serum concentrations and decreased sperm motility was seen in all four studied regions, and indications of reduced neutral alpha-glucosidase activity in seminal plasma point to a post-testicular effect. Third, damage of sperm chromatin integrity was considerably less frequent in Greenlandic Inuits compared with that in European groups, and only in the latter was impairment of sperm chromatin integrity related to POPs. Despite these effects, fertility in terms of time taken to conceive was not related to POPs except in Inuits. A likely explanation of the latter was not identified. CONCLUSIONS: POPs may interfere with male reproductive function without major impact on fertility. The data do not provide direct evidence for endocrine disruption, hence other mechanisms should also be considered. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
xenobiotics, time to pregnancy, receptors, sex hormone, semen quality, reproductive health, inuit, polymorphisms
in
Environmental Health Perspectives
volume
116
issue
3
pages
269 - 277
publisher
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
external identifiers
  • wos:000253670600020
  • scopus:40849137786
ISSN
1552-9924
DOI
10.1289/ehp.10700
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
559b2293-5f93-4346-93a0-b77182e31fca (old id 1193593)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:25:34
date last changed
2022-01-27 19:08:38
@article{559b2293-5f93-4346-93a0-b77182e31fca,
  abstract     = {{OBJECTIVE: We synthesized the main findings from an international epidemiologic study on the impact of biopersistent organic pollutants (POPs) on human reproductive function. DATA SOURCES AND EXTRACTION: We used a database with interview and biological data from 2,269 women and their spouses, and 18 published core papers. DATA SYNTHESIS: The study did not provide direct evidence of hormone-like activity of the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener CB-153 and the main dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) metabolite, 1 1 1 -dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p'-DDE), as serum concentrations of these compounds were not consistently related to either endogenous or exogenous hormone activity in serum. Nevertheless several links bewteen POP exposure and biomarkers of male reproductive function were identified. First, an association between high CB-153 serum levels and low sperm counts was detected within a subgroup of men with short androgen receptor CAG repeat length. Second, a relationship between increased CB-153 serum concentrations and decreased sperm motility was seen in all four studied regions, and indications of reduced neutral alpha-glucosidase activity in seminal plasma point to a post-testicular effect. Third, damage of sperm chromatin integrity was considerably less frequent in Greenlandic Inuits compared with that in European groups, and only in the latter was impairment of sperm chromatin integrity related to POPs. Despite these effects, fertility in terms of time taken to conceive was not related to POPs except in Inuits. A likely explanation of the latter was not identified. CONCLUSIONS: POPs may interfere with male reproductive function without major impact on fertility. The data do not provide direct evidence for endocrine disruption, hence other mechanisms should also be considered.}},
  author       = {{Bonde, Jens Peter and Toftl, Gunnar and Rylander, Lars and Rignell-Hydbom, Anna and Giwercman, Aleksander and Spano, Marcelli and Manicardi, Gian Carlo and Bizzaro, Davide and Ludwicki, Jan K. and Zvyezday, Valentina and Bonefeld-Jorgensen, Eva C. and Pedersen, Henning Sloth and Joensson, Bo A. G. and Thulstrup, Ane Marie}},
  issn         = {{1552-9924}},
  keywords     = {{xenobiotics; time to pregnancy; receptors; sex hormone; semen quality; reproductive health; inuit; polymorphisms}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{269--277}},
  publisher    = {{National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences}},
  series       = {{Environmental Health Perspectives}},
  title        = {{Fertility and markers of male reproductive function in Inuit and European populations spanning large contrasts in blood levels of persistent organochlorines}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.10700}},
  doi          = {{10.1289/ehp.10700}},
  volume       = {{116}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}