Reproductive toxicity of low-level lead exposure in men

Journal Article · Mon Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · Environmental Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2007.05.011· OSTI ID:21077740

Telisman, Spomenka ^[1]; Colak, Bozo ^[2]; Pizent, Alica; Jurasovic, Jasna ^[1]; Cvitkovic, Petar ^[2]

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1. Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, P.O. Box 291, HR-10001 Zagreb (Croatia)
2. University Clinic for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases 'Vuk Vrhovac', Zagreb (Croatia)

Parameters of semen quality, seminal plasma indicators of secretory function of the prostate and seminal vesicles, sex hormones in serum, and biomarkers of lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, and selenium body burden were measured in 240 Croatian men 19-52 years of age. The subjects had no occupational exposure to metals and no known other reasons suspected of influencing male reproductive function or metal metabolism. After adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol, blood cadmium, and serum copper, zinc, and selenium by multiple regression, significant (P<0.05) associations of blood lead (BPb), {delta}-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), and/or erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) with reproductive parameters indicated a lead-related increase in immature sperm concentration, in percentages of pathologic sperm, wide sperm, round sperm, and short sperm, in serum levels of testosterone and estradiol, and a decrease in seminal plasma zinc and in serum prolactin. These reproductive effects were observed at low-level lead exposure (BPb median 49 {mu}g/L, range 11-149 {mu}g/L in the 240 subjects) common for general populations worldwide. The observed significant synergistic effect of BPb and blood cadmium on increasing serum testosterone, and additive effect of a decrease in serum selenium on increasing serum testosterone, may have implications on the initiation and development of prostate cancer because testosterone augments the progress of prostate cancer in its early stages.

• OSTI ID: 21077740
• Journal Information: Environmental Research, Vol. 105, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2007.05.011; PII: S0013-9351(07)00120-X; Copyright (c) 2007 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ALCOHOLS
AMINOLEVULINIC ACID
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
BODY BURDEN
CADMIUM
COPPER
ERYTHROCYTES
ESTRADIOL
LEAD
LTH
MEN
NEOPLASMS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PROSTATE
SELENIUM
SPERMATOZOA
SULFUR 49
TESTOSTERONE
TOXICITY
ZINC