Fertility and Markers of Male Reproductive Function in Inuit and European Populations Spanning Large Contrasts in Blood Levels of Persistent Organochlorines

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...

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Published in:	Environmental health perspectives Vol. 116; no. 3; pp. 269 - 277
Main Authors:	Bonde, Jens Peter, Toft, Gunnar, Rylander, Lars, Rignell-Hydbom, Anna, Giwercman, Aleksander, Spano, Marcello, Manicardi, Gian Carlo, Bizzaro, Davide, Ludwicki, Jan K., Zvyezday, Valentine, Bonefeld-Jørgensen, Eva C., Pedersen, Henning Sloth, Jönsson, Bo A. G., Thulstrup, Ane Marie
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. National Institutes of Health. Department of Health, Education and Welfare 01-03-2008 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Subjects:	Accessory sex glands Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin Biomarkers - analysis Chemical hazards Chromatin Environmental Exposure - adverse effects Environmental Exposure - analysis Environmental Health and Occupational Health Environmental Pollutants - blood Environmental Pollutants - toxicity Estrogens European Continental Ancestry Group Female Fertility - drug effects Fertility - genetics Fertility, Human Health aspects Health Sciences Humans Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - blood Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - toxicity Hälsovetenskap Inuit Inuits Male Medical and Health Sciences Medicin och hälsovetenskap Organochlorine compounds Physiological aspects Polymorphism, Genetic polymorphisms Pregnancy receptors Reproduction - drug effects Reproduction - genetics reproductive health Review Semen Semen - drug effects Semen - metabolism semen quality sex hormone Sex hormones Sperm motility Spermatozoa Spermatozoa - drug effects Spermatozoa - metabolism time to pregnancy Xenobiotics Denmark time to pregnancy sex hormone receptors Inuit xenobiotics semen quality polymorphisms reproductive health
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Summary:	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-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 a-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.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 INUENDO (INUit-ENDOcrine) is the acronym for “Biopersistent organochlorines in diet and human fertility. Epidemiological studies in time to pregnancy and semen quality in Inuit and European populations.” The authors declare they have no competing financial interests.
ISSN:	0091-6765 1552-9924 1552-9924
DOI:	10.1289/ehp.10700