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The association between serum estradiol levels and sperm DNA integrity

Lu, Viktor ; Svensjö, Oscar and Axelsson, Jonatan LU (2022) In Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 63(6). p.268-274
Abstract

In men from the general population, BMI has been associated with a lower sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI). We wondered whether this could be due to estradiol, which is associated with BMI and reported important for sperm function. Our objective was to investigate the association between estradiol and DFI. In 2008–2010, we recruited 284 young men from the general population to deliver samples of semen and blood and answer questionnaires. Serum concentrations of reproductive hormones and DFI were analyzed, the latter using the Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay. Associations were studied using general linear models. The first model utilized metric values of estradiol, whereas the second model compared men with high and low levels,... (More)

In men from the general population, BMI has been associated with a lower sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI). We wondered whether this could be due to estradiol, which is associated with BMI and reported important for sperm function. Our objective was to investigate the association between estradiol and DFI. In 2008–2010, we recruited 284 young men from the general population to deliver samples of semen and blood and answer questionnaires. Serum concentrations of reproductive hormones and DFI were analyzed, the latter using the Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay. Associations were studied using general linear models. The first model utilized metric values of estradiol, whereas the second model compared men with high and low levels, dichotomized by the median value. A possible interaction between estradiol and testosterone was also examined. When investigating metric estradiol levels and DFI, an inverse association was seen without adjustments (p =.02), but the statistical significance was lost at adjustments for potential confounders (p =.08). Men with lower estradiol levels (<88 pmol/L, mean 71 pmol/L) had a statistically significantly higher DFI than men with higher levels of estradiol (≥88 pmol/L, mean 110 pmol/L). Mean ratio difference was 1.21 (p =.002) without adjustments and 1.18 (p =.01) with adjustments. A statistically significant difference in DFI was observed in men with testosterone levels below median when comparing high and low estradiol (p <.001). This study supports the idea that serum estradiol levels are protective for sperm DNA integrity, at least at lower testosterone levels.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
body mass index, estrogen, sperm DNA damage, sperm DNA fragmentation, sperm DNA integrity
in
Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis
volume
63
issue
6
pages
7 pages
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • pmid:36054299
  • scopus:85137019043
ISSN
0893-6692
DOI
10.1002/em.22500
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b4ddefb6-c603-4ba4-a04b-2fa71053a7c8
date added to LUP
2022-11-08 14:22:06
date last changed
2024-04-04 05:12:15
@article{b4ddefb6-c603-4ba4-a04b-2fa71053a7c8,
  abstract     = {{<p>In men from the general population, BMI has been associated with a lower sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI). We wondered whether this could be due to estradiol, which is associated with BMI and reported important for sperm function. Our objective was to investigate the association between estradiol and DFI. In 2008–2010, we recruited 284 young men from the general population to deliver samples of semen and blood and answer questionnaires. Serum concentrations of reproductive hormones and DFI were analyzed, the latter using the Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay. Associations were studied using general linear models. The first model utilized metric values of estradiol, whereas the second model compared men with high and low levels, dichotomized by the median value. A possible interaction between estradiol and testosterone was also examined. When investigating metric estradiol levels and DFI, an inverse association was seen without adjustments (p =.02), but the statistical significance was lost at adjustments for potential confounders (p =.08). Men with lower estradiol levels (&lt;88 pmol/L, mean 71 pmol/L) had a statistically significantly higher DFI than men with higher levels of estradiol (≥88 pmol/L, mean 110 pmol/L). Mean ratio difference was 1.21 (p =.002) without adjustments and 1.18 (p =.01) with adjustments. A statistically significant difference in DFI was observed in men with testosterone levels below median when comparing high and low estradiol (p &lt;.001). This study supports the idea that serum estradiol levels are protective for sperm DNA integrity, at least at lower testosterone levels.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lu, Viktor and Svensjö, Oscar and Axelsson, Jonatan}},
  issn         = {{0893-6692}},
  keywords     = {{body mass index; estrogen; sperm DNA damage; sperm DNA fragmentation; sperm DNA integrity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{268--274}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis}},
  title        = {{The association between serum estradiol levels and sperm DNA integrity}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/em.22500}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/em.22500}},
  volume       = {{63}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}