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Katirci E, Kirimlioglu E, Oflamaz AO, Hidisoglu E, Cernomorcenco A, Yargıcoğlu P, Ozen S, Demir N. Expression levels of tam receptors and ligands in the testes of rats exposed to short and middle-term 2100 MHz radiofrequency radiation. Bioelectromagnetics 2024; 45:235-248. [PMID: 38725116 DOI: 10.1002/bem.22504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
With advances in technology, the emission of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) into the environment, particularly from mobile devices, has become a growing concern. Tyro 3, Axl, and Mer (TAM) receptors and their ligands are essential for spermatogenesis and testosterone production. RFR has been shown to induce testicular cell apoptosis by causing inflammation and disrupting homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate the role of TAM receptors and ligands in the maintenance of homeostasis and elimination of apoptotic cells in the testes (weeks), short-term sham exposure (sham/1 week), and middle-term sham exposure (sham/10 weeks). Testicular morphology was assessed using hematoxylin-eosin staining, while immunohistochemical staining was performed to assess expression levels of TAM receptors and ligands in the testes of all groups. The results showed that testicular morphology was normal in the control, sham/1 week, and sham/10 weeks groups. However, abnormal processes of spermatogenesis and seminiferous tubule morphology were observed in RFR exposure groups. Cleaved Caspase 3 immunoreactivity showed statistically significant difference in 1 and 10 weeks exposure groups compared to control group. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the immunoreactivity of Tyro 3, Axl, Mer, Gas 6, and Pros 1 between groups. Moreover, Tyro 3 expression in Sertoli cells was statistically significantly increased in RFR exposure groups compared to the control. Taken together, the results suggest that RFR exposure negatively affects TAM signalling, preventing the clearance of apoptotic cells, and this process may lead to infection and inflammation. As a result, rat testicular morphology and function may be impaired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ertan Katirci
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Esma Kirimlioglu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Asli O Oflamaz
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Enis Hidisoglu
- Department of Biophysics, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir Bakircay University, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, Universityof Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Alexandra Cernomorcenco
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Piraye Yargıcoğlu
- Department of Biophysics, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Sukru Ozen
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Akdeniz University Faculty of Engineering, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Necdet Demir
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
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Pw Kenny R, Evelynne Johnson E, Adesanya AM, Richmond C, Beyer F, Calderon C, Rankin J, Pearce MS, Toledano M, Craig D, Pearson F. The effects of radiofrequency exposure on male fertility: A systematic review of human observational studies with dose-response meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 190:108817. [PMID: 38880061 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) is bringing together evidence on radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure in relation to health outcomes, previously identified as priorities for research and evaluation by experts in the field, to inform exposure guidelines. A suite of systematic reviews have been undertaken by a network of topic experts and methodologists to collect, assess and synthesise data relevant to these guidelines. Following the WHO handbook for guideline development and the COSTER conduct guidelines, we systematically reviewed the evidence on the potential effects of RF-EMF exposure on male fertility in human observational studies. METHODS We conducted a broad and sensitive search for potentially relevant records within the following bibliographic databases: MEDLINE; Embase; Web of Science and EMF Portal. We also conducted searches of grey literature through relevant databases including OpenGrey, and organisational websites and consulted RF-EMF experts. We hand searched reference lists of included study records and for citations of these studies. We included quantitative human observational studies on the effect of RF-EMF exposure in adult male participants on infertility: sperm concentration; sperm morphology; sperm total motility; sperm progressive motility; total sperm count; and time to pregnancy. Titles and abstracts followed by full texts were screened in blinded duplicate against pre-set eligibility criteria with consensus input from a third reviewer as required. Data extraction from included studies was completed by two reviewers, as was risk of bias assessment using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) tool. We conducted a dose-response meta-analysis as possible and appropriate. Certainty of the evidence was assessed by two reviewers using the OHAT GRADE tool with input from a third reviewer as required. RESULTS We identified nine studies in this review; seven were general public studies (with the general public as the population of interest) and two were occupational studies (with specific workers/workforces as the population of interest). General public studies. Duration of phone use: The evidence is very uncertain surrounding the effects of RF-EMF on sperm concentration (10/6 mL) (MD (mean difference) per hour of daily phone use 1.6 106/mL, 95 % CI -1.7 to 4.9; 3 studies), sperm morphology (MD 0.15 percentage points of deviation of normal forms per hour, 95 % CI -0.21 to 0.51; 3 studies), sperm progressive motility (MD -0.46 percentage points per hour, 95 % CI -1.04 to 0.13; 2 studies) and total sperm count (MD per hour -0.44 106/ejaculate, 95 % CI -2.59 to 1.7; 2 studies) due to very low-certainty evidence. Four additional studies reported on the effect of mobile phone use on sperm motility but were unsuitable for pooling; only one of these studies identified a statistically significant effect. All four studies were at risk of exposure characterisation and selection bias; two of confounding, selective reporting and attrition bias; three of outcome assessment bias and one used an inappropriate statistical method. Position of phone: There may be no or little effect of carrying a mobile phone in the front pocket on sperm concentration, total count, morphology, progressive motility or on time to pregnancy. Of three studies reporting on the effect of mobile phone location on sperm total motility and, or, total motile count, one showed a statistically significant effect. All three studies were at risk of exposure characterisation and selection bias; two of confounding, selective reporting and attrition bias; three of outcome assessment bias and one used inappropriate statistical method. RF-EMF Source: One study indicates there may be little or no effect of computer or other electric device use on sperm concentration, total motility or total count. This study is at probably high risk of exposure characterisation bias and outcome assessment bias. Occupational studies. With only two studies of occupational exposure to RF-EMF and heterogeneity in the population and exposure source (technicians exposed to microwaves or seamen exposed to radar equipment), it was not plausible to statistically pool findings. One study was at probably or definitely high risk of bias across all domains, the other across domains for exposure characterisation bias, outcome assessment bias and confounding. DISCUSSION The majority of evidence identified was assessing localised RF-EMF exposure from mobile phone use on male fertility with few studies assessing the impact of phone position. Overall, the evidence identified is very uncertain about the effect of RF-EMF exposure from mobile phones on sperm outcomes. One study assessed the impact of other RF-EMF sources on male fertility amongst the general public and two studies assessed the impact of RF-EMF exposure in occupational cohorts from different sources (radar or microwave) on male fertility. Further prospective studies conducted with greater rigour (in particular, improved accuracy of exposure measurement and appropriate statistical method use) would build the existing evidence base and are required to have greater certainty in any potential effects of RF-EMF on male reproductive outcomes. Prospero Registration: CRD42021265401 (SR3A).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Pw Kenny
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | | | - Adenike M Adesanya
- Maternal & Child Health Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | - Catherine Richmond
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | - Fiona Beyer
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | | | - Judith Rankin
- Maternal & Child Health Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | - Mark S Pearce
- Maternal & Child Health Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | | | - Dawn Craig
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | - Fiona Pearson
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
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Sciorio R, Tramontano L, Adel M, Fleming S. Decrease in Sperm Parameters in the 21st Century: Obesity, Lifestyle, or Environmental Factors? An Updated Narrative Review. J Pers Med 2024; 14:198. [PMID: 38392631 PMCID: PMC10890002 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14020198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Semen quality represents a compelling factor for fertility, and delineating the normal values has proven difficult. In the last four decades, several authors have reported a noticeable decline in sperm parameters. Also, studies investigating 'time to pregnancy' have shown that fecundity begins to be reduced when sperm numbers decrease below 30 million, even though according to the 6th edition of the WHO manual, the normal value is currently 16 million/mL or 39 million per ejaculate. There exists sufficient data to suggest a decline in sperm counts over time, even though the clear reason for this adverse trend is not well established, but some associations have been hypothesised, such as maternal smoking during pregnancy. Additional potential factors have yet to be fully illustrated but involve poor diet, increased obesity, and exposure to environmental toxins. Moreover, the change in environmental conditions and more common exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as pesticides and herbicides, as well as bisphenol A, phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls, and heavy metals, starting from prenatal life and continuing into adulthood, may exhibit probable features explaining the reduction in sperm parameters. Therefore, the main goal of this narrative review is to furnish an overview of the possible effects of exposure to EDCs on testicular function and spermatogenesis and, also, to summarise the evidence regarding a decrease in sperm quality and examine its potential consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romualdo Sciorio
- Fertility Medicine and Gynaecological Endocrinology Unit, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Luca Tramontano
- Department of Women, Infants and Adolescents, Division of Obstetrics, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneve, Switzerland
| | - Mohammed Adel
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo 11651, Egypt
| | - Steven Fleming
- Discipline of Anatomy & Histology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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Li J, Nan B, Xu Z, Chang H, Xu S, Ren M, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Chen Y, Guo D, Shen H. Arsenic exposure caused male infertility indicated by testis and sperm metabolic dysfunction in SD rats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166838. [PMID: 37689206 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic containment is one of the most severe environmental problems. It has been reported that arsenic exposure could cause male reproductive damage. However, the evidence chain from sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) exposure to adverse male fertility outcomes has not been completed by molecular events. In this study, adult male rats were exposed to NaAsO2 for eight weeks via drinking water for verifying their reproductive capacity by checking the phenotypes of testis damage, sperm quality, and female pregnancy rate. H&E staining indicated testicular cells had atrophied, and necrosis was observed under transmission electron microscopy. Sperm viability tended to decrease, and sperm malformation increased. Notably, metabolites in the testes and sperm showed substantial disruption, especially sperm metabolites. The pregnancy rate tests showed that arsenic decreased male rats' reproduction, with some adverse outcomes of the increased numbers of unpregnant females. However, the fetal crown-rump length remained unaltered, indicating that the pregnancy rate was impacted by arsenic exposure but not fetal growth. On arsenic toxicometabolomics analysis, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in sperm was the clearest metabolic sign to correlate with the unpregnant rate. In summary, arsenic exposure can cause male infertility via the injured sperm, which results in decreased female pregnancy. The DHA information may imply the dietary intervention for improving sperm quality. Although the fetal growth of the successful pregnancy has not been affected, the changes in epigenetic phenotypes carried by sperms still need to be verified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China
| | - Bingru Nan
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Department of Oncology & Cancer Institute, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, PR China
| | - Zehua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China
| | - Hao Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China
| | - Song Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China
| | - Miaomiao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China
| | - Yike Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China
| | - Yaru Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China
| | - Yujie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China
| | - Dongbei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China
| | - Heqing Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Vaccine Development, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China; Department of Obstetrics, Women and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, PR China.
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5
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Rahban R, Senn A, Nef S, Rӧӧsli M. Association between self-reported mobile phone use and the semen quality of young men. Fertil Steril 2023; 120:1181-1192. [PMID: 37921737 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the association between mobile phone exposure and semen parameters. DESIGN A nationwide cross-sectional study. SETTING Andrology laboratories in close proximity to 6 army recruitment centers. PATIENTS In total, 2886 men from the general Swiss population, 18-22 years old, were recruited between 2005 and 2018 during military conscription. INTERVENTION Participants delivered a semen sample and completed a questionnaire on health and lifestyle, including the number of hours they spent using their mobile phones and where they placed them when not in use. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Using logistic and multiple linear regression models, adjusted odds ratios and β coefficients were determined, respectively. The association between mobile phone exposure and semen parameters such as volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count (TSC), motility, and morphology was then evaluated. RESULTS A total of 2759 men answered the question concerning their mobile phone use, and 2764 gave details on the position of their mobile phone when not in use. In the adjusted linear model, a higher frequency of mobile phone use (>20 times per day) was associated with a lower sperm concentration (adjusted β: -0.152; 95% confidence interval: -0.316; 0.011) and a lower TSC (adjusted β: -0.271; 95% confidence interval: -0.515; -0.027). In the adjusted logistic regression model, this translates to a 30% and 21% increased risk for sperm concentration and TSC to be below the World Health Organization reference values for fertile men, respectively. This inverse association was found to be more pronounced in the first study period (2005-2007) and gradually decreased with time (2008-2011 and 2012-2018). No consistent associations were observed between mobile phone use and sperm motility or sperm morphology. Keeping a mobile phone in the pants pocket was not found to be associated with lower semen parameters. CONCLUSION This large population-based study suggests that higher mobile phone use is associated with lower sperm concentration and TSC. The observed time trend of decreasing association is in line with the transition to new technologies and the corresponding decrease in mobile phone output power. Prospective studies with improved exposure assessment are needed to confirm whether the observed associations are causal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Rahban
- Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Alfred Senn
- Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Serge Nef
- Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Martin Rӧӧsli
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwill, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Demirbağ B, Aktaş S, Çömelekoğlu Ü, Kara İ, Yildirim M, Yildirim DD. Protective effect of paricalcitol in rat testicular damage induced by subchronic 1800 MHz radiofrequency radiation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 680:42-50. [PMID: 37717340 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, the possible protective effects of paricalcitol (P) were investigated in testicular damage because of 1800 MHz radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure. Male Sprague Dawley rats 8-10 weeks old (n = 28) were randomly divided into four groups as control (C) (n = 7), RFR (n = 7, 1800 MHz RFR 1 h/day for 30 days), P (n = 7, 0.2 μg/kg paricalcitol, 3 times a week for 30 days), and RFR + P (n = 7, 1800 MHz RFR 1 h/day for 30 days +0.2 μg/kg paricalcitol, 3 times a week for 30 days). Testicular tissue was evaluated with histological and biochemical methods. No statistically significant differences were detected between the groups in seminiferous tubule diameters and germinal epithelial thicknesses. While ultrastructural changes were observed in the seminiferous tubule and Leydig cells in the RFR group, these changes were decreased in the RFR + P group. It was found that the Johnsen Score, Ki67, and p63 immunoreactivity scores (IRS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities in the RFR + P group were statistically increased as compared to the RFR group and the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were decreased statistically and significantly. These results show that paricalcitol administration may have an ameliorative effect on testicular damage occurring because of 1800 MHz RFR exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Demirbağ
- Mersin University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medical, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Savaş Aktaş
- Mersin University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Ülkü Çömelekoğlu
- Mersin University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biophysics, Mersin, Turkey
| | - İlker Kara
- Mersin University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Metin Yildirim
- Harran University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Biochemistry, Şanlıurfa, Turkey.
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Mai H, Ke J, Li M, He M, Qu Y, Jiang F, Cai S, Xu Y, Fu L, Pi L, Zhou H, Yu H, Che D, Gu X, Zhang J, Zuo L. Association of living environmental and occupational factors with semen quality in chinese men: a cross-sectional study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15671. [PMID: 37735181 PMCID: PMC10514289 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42927-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Sperm quality can be easily influenced by living environmental and occupational factors. This study aimed to discover potential semen quality related living environmental and occupational factors, expand knowledge of risk factors for semen quality, strengthen men's awareness of protecting their own fertility and assist the clinicians to judge the patient's fertility. 465 men without obese or underweight (18.5 < BMI < 28.5 kg/m2), long-term medical history and history of drug use, were recruited between June 2020 to July 2021, they are in reproductive age (25 < age < 45 years). We have collected their semen analysis results and clinical information. Logistic regression was applied to evaluate the association of semen quality with different factors. We found that living environment close to high voltage line (283.4 × 106/ml vs 219.8 × 106/ml, Cohen d = 0.116, P = 0.030) and substation (309.1 × 106/ml vs 222.4 × 106/ml, Cohen d = 0.085, P = 0.015) will influence sperm count. Experienced decoration in the past 6 months was a significant factor to sperm count (194.2 × 106/ml vs 261.0 × 106/ml, Cohen d = 0.120, P = 0.025). Living close to chemical plant will affect semen PH (7.5 vs 7.2, Cohen d = 0.181, P = 0.001). Domicile close to a power distribution room will affect progressive sperm motility (37.0% vs 34.0%, F = 4.773, Cohen d = 0.033, P = 0.030). Using computers will affect both progressive motility sperm (36.0% vs 28.1%, t = 2.762, Cohen d = 0.033, P = 0.006) and sperm total motility (57.0% vs 41.0%, Cohen d = 0.178, P = 0.009). After adjust for potential confounding factors (age and BMI), our regression model reveals that living close to high voltage line is a risk factor for sperm concentration (Adjusted OR 4.03, 95% CI 1.15-14.18, R2 = 0.048, P = 0.030), living close to Chemical plants is a protective factor for sperm concentration (Adjusted OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.05-0.46, R2 = 0.048, P = 0.001) and total sperm count (Adjusted OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.13-0.99, R2 = 0.026, P = 0.049). Time spends on computer will affect sperm total motility (Adjusted OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.11-4.73, R2 = 0.041, P = 0.025). Sum up, our results suggested that computer using, living and working surroundings (voltage line, substation and chemical plants, transformer room), and housing decoration may association with low semen quality. Suggesting that some easily ignored factors may affect male reproductive ability. Couples trying to become pregnant should try to avoid exposure to associated risk factors. The specific mechanism of risk factors affecting male reproductive ability remains to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanran Mai
- Department of Clinical Biological Resource Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
- Department of Andrology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 9 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Junyi Ke
- Department of Clinical Biological Resource Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
- Department of Andrology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 9 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Miaomiao Li
- Department of Clinical Biological Resource Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
- Department of Andrology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 9 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Menghua He
- Department of Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Yanxia Qu
- Department of Gynecology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Fan Jiang
- Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Simian Cai
- Department of Science, Education and Data Management, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Yufen Xu
- Department of Clinical Biological Resource Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Lanyan Fu
- Department of Clinical Biological Resource Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Lei Pi
- Department of Clinical Biological Resource Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Huazhong Zhou
- Department of Clinical Biological Resource Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Hongyan Yu
- Department of Clinical Biological Resource Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Di Che
- Department of Clinical Biological Resource Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Xiaoqiong Gu
- Department of Clinical Biological Resource Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Jinxin Zhang
- Department of Medical Statistics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Liandong Zuo
- Department of Andrology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 9 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, 510623, Guangdong, China.
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Zhao JQ, Wang XB, Leng X, Wei YF, Huang DH, Lv JL, Du Q, Guo RH, Pan BC, Wu QJ, Zhao YH. Dietary fat and fatty acid consumptions and the odds of asthenozoospermia: a case-control study in China. Hum Reprod Open 2023; 2023:hoad030. [PMID: 37547665 PMCID: PMC10403433 DOI: 10.1093/hropen/hoad030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Are dietary fat and fatty acid (FA) intakes related to the odds of asthenozoospermia? SUMMARY ANSWER Plant-based fat consumption was associated with decreased asthenozoospermia odds, while the consumption of animal-based monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) was positively related to asthenozoospermia odds. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Dietary fat and FA are significant ingredients of a daily diet, which have been demonstrated to be correlated to the reproductive health of men. However, to date, evidence on fat and FA associations with the odds of asthenozoospermia is unclear. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION The hospital-based case-control study was performed in an infertility clinic from June 2020 to December 2020. Briefly, 549 asthenozoospermia cases and 581 controls with normozoospermia were available for final analyses. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS We collected dietary data through a verified food frequency questionnaire of 110 food items. Asthenozoospermia cases were ascertained according to the World Health Organization guidelines. To investigate the correlations of dietary fat and FA consumptions with the odds of asthenozoospermia, we calculated the odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% CIs through unconditional logistic regression models. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Relative to the lowest tertile of consumption, the highest tertile of plant-based fat intake was inversely correlated to the odds of asthenozoospermia (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.50-0.91), with a significant dose-response relation (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.75-0.97, per standard deviation increment). Inversely, animal-based MUFA intake (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.04-2.14) was significantly correlated to increased odds of asthenozoospermia, and an evident dose-response relation was also detected (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.05-1.45, per standard deviation increment). Subgroup analyses showed similar patterns of associations to those of the primary results. Moreover, we observed significant interactions on both multiplicative and additive scales between animal-based MUFA and cigarette smoking. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION Selection bias and recall bias were unavoidable in any of the observational studies. As we failed to obtain the information of trans-fatty acid (TFA) consumption, the relation of TFA intake and asthenozoospermia odds was unclear. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This study indicated that different sources of fat and FAs might exert different effects on the etiology of asthenozoospermia, and cigarette smoking could exacerbate the adverse effect of high animal-based MUFA intake on asthenozoospermia. Our findings provide novel evidence pertaining to the fields of prevention of asthenozoospermia through decreasing animal-derived fat and FA consumptions and smoking cessation. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This work was supported by the JieBangGuaShuai Project of Liaoning Province, Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province, Clinical Research Cultivation Project of Shengjing Hospital, and Outstanding Scientific Fund of Shengjing Hospital. All authors have no conflict of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Xu Leng
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yi-Fan Wei
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Dong-Hui Huang
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jia-Le Lv
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qiang Du
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Ren-Hao Guo
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Bo-Chen Pan
- Correspondence address. Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China. Tel: +86-24-96615; E-mail: (B.-C.P.); Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NHC Key Laboratory of Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Fertility (China Medical University), Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China. Tel: +86-24-96615-13652; E-mail: (Q.-J.W.); Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China. Tel: +86-24-96615-13652; E-mail: (Y.-H.Z.)
| | - Qi-Jun Wu
- Correspondence address. Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China. Tel: +86-24-96615; E-mail: (B.-C.P.); Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NHC Key Laboratory of Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Fertility (China Medical University), Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China. Tel: +86-24-96615-13652; E-mail: (Q.-J.W.); Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China. Tel: +86-24-96615-13652; E-mail: (Y.-H.Z.)
| | - Yu-Hong Zhao
- Correspondence address. Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China. Tel: +86-24-96615; E-mail: (B.-C.P.); Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NHC Key Laboratory of Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Fertility (China Medical University), Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China. Tel: +86-24-96615-13652; E-mail: (Q.-J.W.); Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China. Tel: +86-24-96615-13652; E-mail: (Y.-H.Z.)
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9
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Davis D, Birnbaum L, Ben-Ishai P, Taylor H, Sears M, Butler T, Scarato T. Wireless technologies, non-ionizing electromagnetic fields and children: Identifying and reducing health risks. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care 2023; 53:101374. [PMID: 36935315 DOI: 10.1016/j.cppeds.2023.101374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
Children today are conceived and live in a sea of wireless radiation that did not exist when their parents were born. The launch of the digital age continues to transform the capacity to respond to emergencies and extend global communications. At the same time that this increasingly ubiquitous technology continues to alter the nature of commerce, medicine, transport and modern life overall, its varied and changing forms have not been evaluated for their biological or environmental impacts. Standards for evaluating radiation from numerous wireless devices were first set in 1996 to avoid heating tissue and remain unchanged since then in the U.S. and many other nations. A wide range of evidence indicates that there are numerous non-thermal effects from wireless radiation on reproduction, development, and chronic illness. Many widely used devices such as phones and tablets function as two-way microwave radios, sending and receiving various frequencies of information-carrying microwave radiation on multiple simultaneously operating antennas. Expert groups advising governments on this matter do not agree on the best approaches to be taken. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limited screen time for children under the age of two, but more than half of all toddlers regularly have contact with screens, often without parental engagement. Young children of parents who frequently use devices as a form of childcare can experience delays in speech acquisition and bonding, while older children report feelings of disappointment due to 'technoference'-parental distraction due to technology. Children who begin using devices early in life can become socially, psychologically and physically addicted to the technology and experience withdrawal upon cessation. We review relevant experimental, epidemiological and clinical evidence on biological and other impacts of currently used wireless technology, including advice to include key questions at pediatric wellness checkups from infancy to young adulthood. We conclude that consistent with advice in pediatric radiology, an approach that recommends that microwave radiation exposures be As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) seems sensible and prudent, and that an independently-funded training, research and monitoring program should be carried out on the long term physical and psychological impacts of rapidly changing technological milieu, including ways to mitigate impacts through modifications in hardware and software. Current knowledge of electrohypersensitivity indicates the importance of reducing wireless exposures especially in schools and health care settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devra Davis
- Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey; Environmental Health Trust, Teton Village, WY, USA.
| | - Linda Birnbaum
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program, Scholar in Residence, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, USA
| | | | - Hugh Taylor
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Meg Sears
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Prevent Cancer Now, Ottawa, Canada
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10
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Chu KY, Khodamoradi K, Blachman-Braun R, Dullea A, Bidhan J, Campbell K, Zizzo J, Israeli J, Kim M, Petrella F, Ibrahim E, Ramasamy R. Effect of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted by Modern Cellphones on Sperm Motility and Viability: An In Vitro Study. Eur Urol Focus 2023; 9:69-74. [PMID: 36379868 PMCID: PMC9928907 DOI: 10.1016/j.euf.2022.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cellphones emit radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) for transmission of data for social media communication, web browsing, and music/podcast streaming. Use of Bluetooth ear buds has probably prolonged the time during which cellphones reside in the trouser pockets of men. It has been postulated that RF-EMR increases oxidative stress and induces free radical formation. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of wireless-spectrum (4G, 5G, and WiFi) RF-EMR emitted by modern smartphones on sperm motility and viability and explore whether these effects can be mitigated using a physical barrier or distance. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Semen samples were obtained from fertile normozoospermic men aged 25-35 yr. A current-generation smartphone in talk mode was used as the RF-EMR source. A WhatsApp voice call was made using either 4G, 5G, or WiFi wireless connectivity. We determined if exposure effects were mitigated by either a cellphone case or greater distance from the semen sample. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS The semen samples were analyzed according to 2010 World Health Organization laboratory guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.28. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS We observed decreases in sperm motility and viability with WiFi exposure but not with exposure to 4G or 5G RF-EMR. With large variability among smartphones, continued research on exposure effects is needed. CONCLUSIONS Our exploratory study revealed that sperm motility and viability are negatively impacted by smartphones that use the WiFi spectrum for data transmission. PATIENT SUMMARY We looked at the effect of cellphone use on sperm motility and viability. We found that cellphones using WiFi connectivity for data usage have harmful effects on semen quality in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Y Chu
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Alexandra Dullea
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Joginder Bidhan
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - John Zizzo
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Joseph Israeli
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mitch Kim
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Francis Petrella
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Emad Ibrahim
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ranjith Ramasamy
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
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11
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Abdoli S, Masoumi SZ, Kazemi F. Environmental and occupational factors and higher risk of couple infertility: a systematic review study. MIDDLE EAST FERTILITY SOCIETY JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s43043-022-00124-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Infertility is a global health problem that represents an increasing trend due to new lifestyles following technological advances since individuals are facing more risk factors than before. The present systematic review study aimed to investigate the impact of environmental and occupational factors on reproductive parameters and increased risk of couple infertility.
Main body
Scopus, PubMed, SID, and Web of Science databases were searched for the available observational (i.e., cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional) systematic review, meta-analysis, and clinical trial studies between 2007 and 2019. To this end, keywords such as ‘Environmental exposure’, ‘Occupational exposure’, ‘Environmental pollutants’, ‘Environmental pollution’, ‘Couple infertility’, ‘Sterility’, and ‘Sub-fertility’ were used. The retrieved investigations examined the impact of environmental and occupational risk factors on reproductive indices and increased infertility risk. Totally, 66 out of 9519 papers were evaluated after considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The reported risk factors in the reviewed studies were heavy metals, cigarette smoking, and exposure to chemicals through consumer goods, urban life, and proximity to main roads. In addition, occupational factors included heavy physical activity, prolonged sitting, exposure to a hot environment, contact with formaldehyde, pesticides, insecticides, mechanical vibration, and contact with ionizing radiation, all of which affected the reproductive parameters. However, some researchers found no significant associations in this regard.
Short conclusion
In general, individuals with known impairments in reproductive parameters were more exposed to risk factors. Nonetheless, more studies are needed to determine the risk of infertility in the population.
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12
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Burke ND, Nixon B, Roman SD, Schjenken JE, Walters JLH, Aitken RJ, Bromfield EG. Male infertility and somatic health - insights into lipid damage as a mechanistic link. Nat Rev Urol 2022; 19:727-750. [PMID: 36100661 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-022-00640-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, mounting evidence has shown an alarming association between male subfertility and poor somatic health, with substantial evidence supporting the increased incidence of oncological disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders and autoimmune diseases in men who have previously received a subfertility diagnosis. This paradigm is concerning, but might also provide a novel window for a crucial health reform in which the infertile phenotype could serve as an indication of potential pathological conditions. One of the major limiting factors in this association is the poor understanding of the molecular features that link infertility with comorbidities across the life course. Enzymes involved in the lipid oxidation process might provide novel clues to reconcile the mechanistic basis of infertility with incident pathological conditions. Building research capacity in this area is essential to enhance the early detection of disease states and provide crucial information about the disease risk of offspring conceived through assisted reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan D Burke
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brett Nixon
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shaun D Roman
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Drug Development, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - John E Schjenken
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jessica L H Walters
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - R John Aitken
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Elizabeth G Bromfield
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia.
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
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13
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Chen HG, Wu P, Sun B, Chen JX, Xiong CL, Meng TQ, Huang XY, Su QL, Zhou H, Wang YX, Ye W, Pan A. Association between electronic device usage and sperm quality parameters in healthy men screened as potential sperm donors. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 312:120089. [PMID: 36058315 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cell phone use and radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMF) are rapidly increasing and may be associated with lower semen quality, yet results from epidemiological studies are inconclusive. Information on electronic devices use was collected through standard questionnaires from 1454 men aged 22-45 years old. Semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, total motility, progressive motility, and normal morphology in repeated specimens were determined by trained clinical technicians. Percent changes [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] were estimated as (10β-1) × 100 for electronic devices use associated with repeated sperm quality parameters in the linear mixed-effect models. After adjusting for multiple confounders, we found significant inverse associations of total duration of electronic devices use with sperm progressive motility and total motility, duration of cell phone and computer use with sperm concentration, progressive motility, and total motility (all P < 0.05). No significant association was found between cell phone/computer use alone and sperm quality parameters. Moreover, per hour increase of time spent on cell phone talking was associated with decreased sperm concentration and total count by an average of -8.0% (95% CI: -15.2%, -0.2%) and -12.7% (95% CI: -21.3%, -3.1%), respectively. Besides, daily calling time was associated with lower sperm progressive motility and total motility among those who used headsets during a call (P for interaction <0.05). In conclusion, our study suggested that more time spent on electronic devices use had a modest reduction effect on semen quality. Daily calling time was significantly associated with lower sperm concentration and total count, and using headsets during a call appeared to aggravate the negative association between daily calling time and sperm motility. Additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng-Gui Chen
- Clinical Research and Translation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China; Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Ping Wu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Bin Sun
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Jun-Xiang Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Cheng-Liang Xiong
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Wuhan Tongji Reproductive Medicine Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Province Human Sperm Bank, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Tian-Qing Meng
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Wuhan Tongji Reproductive Medicine Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Province Human Sperm Bank, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xiao-Yin Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Qing-Ling Su
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Huiliang Zhou
- Department of Andrology & Sexual Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yi-Xin Wang
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Weimin Ye
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - An Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
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Scientific evidence invalidates health assumptions underlying the FCC and ICNIRP exposure limit determinations for radiofrequency radiation: implications for 5G. Environ Health 2022; 21:92. [PMID: 36253855 PMCID: PMC9576312 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00900-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In the late-1990s, the FCC and ICNIRP adopted radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure limits to protect the public and workers from adverse effects of RFR. These limits were based on results from behavioral studies conducted in the 1980s involving 40-60-minute exposures in 5 monkeys and 8 rats, and then applying arbitrary safety factors to an apparent threshold specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4 W/kg. The limits were also based on two major assumptions: any biological effects were due to excessive tissue heating and no effects would occur below the putative threshold SAR, as well as twelve assumptions that were not specified by either the FCC or ICNIRP. In this paper, we show how the past 25 years of extensive research on RFR demonstrates that the assumptions underlying the FCC's and ICNIRP's exposure limits are invalid and continue to present a public health harm. Adverse effects observed at exposures below the assumed threshold SAR include non-thermal induction of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, cardiomyopathy, carcinogenicity, sperm damage, and neurological effects, including electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Also, multiple human studies have found statistically significant associations between RFR exposure and increased brain and thyroid cancer risk. Yet, in 2020, and in light of the body of evidence reviewed in this article, the FCC and ICNIRP reaffirmed the same limits that were established in the 1990s. Consequently, these exposure limits, which are based on false suppositions, do not adequately protect workers, children, hypersensitive individuals, and the general population from short-term or long-term RFR exposures. Thus, urgently needed are health protective exposure limits for humans and the environment. These limits must be based on scientific evidence rather than on erroneous assumptions, especially given the increasing worldwide exposures of people and the environment to RFR, including novel forms of radiation from 5G telecommunications for which there are no adequate health effects studies.
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15
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Muacevic A, Adler JR. Increased Screen Time as a Cause of Declining Physical, Psychological Health, and Sleep Patterns: A Literary Review. Cureus 2022; 14:e30051. [PMID: 36381869 PMCID: PMC9638701 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.30051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Dependency on digital devices resulting in an ever-increasing daily screen time has subsequently also been the cause of several adverse effects on physical and mental or psychological health. Constant exposure to devices like smartphones, personal computers, and television can severely affect mental health- increase stress and anxiety, for example, and cause various sleep issues in both children as well as adults. Risk factors for obesity and cardiovascular disorders, including hypertension, poor regulation of stress, low HDL cholesterol, and insulin resistance are among the physical health repercussions we see. The psychological health effects comprise suicidal tendencies and symptoms of depression which are associated with digital device dependency, screen-time-induced poor sleep quality, and content-influenced negativity. Oftentimes it can cause the induction of a state of hyper-arousal, increase stress hormones, desynchronize the body clock or the circadian cycle, alter brain chemistry and create a drag on mental energy and development. With a focus on brain development in children and detrimental effects in both adults and children, this research article goes on to explore the various aspects of screen addiction and excessive screen exposure.
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Pardhiya S, Gautam R, Nirala JP, Murmu NN, Rajamani P. Modulatory role of Bovine serum albumin conjugated manganese dioxide nanoparticle on microwave radiation induced alterations in reproductive parameters of rat. Reprod Toxicol 2022; 113:136-149. [PMID: 36089154 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2022.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In recent decades, microwave (MW) radiations are being used extensively for various applications such as Wi-Fi, telecommunication, etc. due to which there have been grave concerns regarding the adverse effects of MW exposure on human health, particularly the reproductive system. MW cause damage to the reproductive system by generating free radicals, decreasing antioxidant defence, and inducing oxidative stress. Hence, the present study was aimed to counteract the harmful effect by using antioxidant enzymes mimicking nanoparticle, Bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugated manganese dioxide nanoparticle (MNP*). Male Wistar rats were exposed to MW and treated with MNP*, and their individual, as well as combined effect on reproductive parameters was investigated. Results showed that MW exposed rats had significantly reduced testosterone levels along with alterations in the testicular morphology. The antioxidant status decreased, and lipid peroxidation increased significantly in testis. MW exposure also showed altered sperm parameters such as a significant decrease in sperm count, viability, membrane integrity and mitochondrial activity with a significant increase in morphological abnormality and lipid peroxidation. As a result, the changes induced by MW may affect male fertility. However, upon combined exposure of MNP* and MW, these alterations were reduced significantly. Hence, it may be concluded that MNP* could reduce oxidative stress mediated damages in the reproductive system of rats owing to its antioxidant activity, and thus have a potential to act as a radioprotectant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Pardhiya
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Rohit Gautam
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Jay Prakash Nirala
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Nina Nancy Murmu
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Paulraj Rajamani
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India.
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17
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Zhang S, Mo F, Chang Y, Wu S, Ma Q, Jin F, Xing L. Effects of mobile phone use on semen parameters: a cross-sectional study of 1634 men in China. Reprod Fertil Dev 2022; 34:669-678. [PMID: 35436442 DOI: 10.1071/rd21234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mobile phones play an irreplaceable role in modern people's lives. However, the radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation produced by mobile phones has also caused increasing concern. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the effect of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation produced by mobile phones on semen parameters in 1634 men who underwent semen examination at the Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, China. Analysis of variance and multivariate linear regression were used to explore differences among different groups. A P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The results showed significant associations among different groups of daily mobile phone use time and daily duration of phone calls in the percentage of progressively motile spermatozoa (P =0.004 and P =0.007), rapid progressively motile spermatozoa (P =0.012 and P =0.006) and total motile spermatozoa (P =0.004 and P =0.046). After adjustments for the confounding effects of age and body mass index by multiple linear regression, the results showed that the daily duration of mobile phone use had a negative effect on sperm motility. However, there was no statistically significant correlation between daily phone call duration and sperm motility. Therefore, the daily duration of mobile phone use may negatively affect sperm motility and impair male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Zhang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012 Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China; and Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310006 Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengyi Mo
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310006 Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yali Chang
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310006 Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Shufang Wu
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310006 Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Ma
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310006 Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Jin
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310006 Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Lanfeng Xing
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310006 Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
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18
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Reprotoxic Impact of Environment, Diet, and Behavior. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031303. [PMID: 35162326 PMCID: PMC8834893 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Reproductive health is progressively declining due to multiples endogenous and exogenous factors, such as environmental contaminants, diet and behavior. Accumulated evidences confirm that fertility and reproductive function have been adversely affected by exposure to chemical contaminants released in the environment. Today, the impact of diet and behavior on reproductive processes is also receiving special attention from the scientific community. Indeed, a close relationship between diet and fertility has been proven. Furthermore, a combination of unhealthy behavior, such as exposure to hazardous compounds and stress factors, poses living organisms at higher risk of reprotoxic effects. In particular, it has been described that poor life behaviors are associated with reduced male and female fertility due to decreased gamete quality and function. Most of the erroneous behaviors are, furthermore, a source of oxidative stress that, leading to epigenetic alterations, results in an impaired reproductive fitness. This review reports the detrimental impact of the most common environmental chemical stressors, diet, and behavior on reproductive functionality and success. Although clear evidences are still scarce, reassuring data are provided that a healthy diet and reverting unhealthy lifestyles may be of help to recover physiological reproductive conditions.
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19
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Er H, Tas GG, Soygur B, Ozen S, Sati L. Acute and Chronic Exposure to 900 MHz Radio Frequency Radiation Activates p38/JNK-mediated MAPK Pathway in Rat Testis. Reprod Sci 2022; 29:1471-1485. [PMID: 35015292 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-00844-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The use of electronic devices such as mobile phones has had a long stretch of rapid growth all over the world. Therefore, exposure to radio frequency radiation (RFR) has increased enormously. Here, we aimed to assess the balance between cell death and proliferation and also investigate the involvement of the JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway in the testis of rats exposed to 900 MHz RFR in acute and chronic periods (2 h/day, 5 days/week) for 1 or 10 weeks, respectively. The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Bcl-xL, cleaved caspase-3, phosphorylated-JNK (p-JNK), and phosphorylated-p38 (p-p38) was analyzed in line with histopathology and TUNEL analysis in rat testis. There were no histopathological differences between sham and RFR groups in the acute and chronic groups. PCNA expression was not altered between groups in both periods. However, alterations for cleaved caspase-3 and Bcl-xL were observed depending on the exposure period. TUNEL analysis showed a significant increase in the RFR group in the acute period, whereas no difference in the chronic groups for the apoptotic index was reported. In addition, both p-p38 and p-JNK protein expressions increased significantly in RFR groups in both periods. Our study indicated that 900 MHz RFR might result in alterations during acute period exposure for several parameters, but this can be ameliorated in the chronic period in rat testis. Here, we also report the involvement of the p38/JNK-mediated MAPK pathway after exposure to 900 MHz RFR. Hence, this information might shed light in future studies toward detailed molecular mechanisms in male reproduction and infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hakan Er
- Department of Biophysics, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.,Department of Medical Imaging Techniques, Vocational School of Health Services, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Gizem Gamze Tas
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Campus, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Bikem Soygur
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Campus, 07070, Antalya, Turkey.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sukru Ozen
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Leyla Sati
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Campus, 07070, Antalya, Turkey.
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20
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Adamczak R, Ukleja-Sokołowska N, Pasińska M, Zielińska J, Leśny M, Dubiel M. Abnormal sperm morphology is associated with sensitization to inhaled allergens. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2022; 36:20587384211066718. [PMID: 34984934 PMCID: PMC8743921 DOI: 10.1177/20587384211066718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Allergy is associated with the loss of tolerance of environmental antigens, combined with a pathological immune response. There were no studies up to date that would show whether the quality of semen decreases in people with allergic diseases. Material and methods: The research included men who reported to the Gynecological Outpatient Clinic due to reproductive difficulties, defined as the lack of pregnancy after one year of regular intercourse. Semen quality was assessed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) standard. All patients underwent skin prick tests with the most important inhalation allergens (such as hazel, silver birch, mugwort, rye, dog, cat, Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, alder, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum, and grass mix). The data was statistically analyzed. Results: Results of 52 patients aged 25–52 years (34.62 ± 4.96) were analyzed. The mean BMI (Body mass index) was 28.25 (+ −3.77). It was found that 38 men (73%) had increased body weight, and 14 men (26.9%) were obese (BMI > = 30). 13 patients were smokers (25%), and 24 patients (46%) had skin tests positive for at least one inhaled allergen. Sperm tail defects were statistically more significant in patients allergic to birch, rye, cat, alder, and grass. In patients allergic to Alternaria alternata, head defects were statistically more significant (p < .05). No association was found between allergy to house dust mites, mugwort, hazel, and dogs and the deterioration of semen. Conclusion: Allergy due to inhalation allergens had an influence on the quality of male semen. Further research is necessary to establish the immunological bases of this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Adamczak
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Oncology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Natalia Ukleja-Sokołowska
- Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Magdalena Pasińska
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Joanna Zielińska
- Student Scientific Society, Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Mateusz Leśny
- Student Scientific Society, Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Mariusz Dubiel
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Oncology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Poland
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21
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Kenny RPW, Millar EB, Adesanya A, Richmond C, Beyer F, Calderon C, Rankin J, Toledano M, Feychting M, Pearce MS, Craig D, Pearson F. The effects of radiofrequency exposure on male fertility and adverse reproductive outcomes: A protocol for two systematic reviews of human observational studies with meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106968. [PMID: 34735951 PMCID: PMC8669072 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) is bringing together evidence on radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure in relation to health outcomes, previously identified as priorities for evaluation by experts in the field, to inform exposure guidelines. A suite of systematic reviews are being undertaken by a network of topic experts and methodologists in order to collect, assess and synthesise data relevant to these guidelines. Here, we present the protocol for the systematic review on the effect of exposure to RF on adverse reproductive outcomes (human observational studies), also referred to as Systematic Review (SR) 3 within the series of systematic reviews currently being commissioned. OBJECTIVES Following the WHO handbook for guideline development and the COSTER conduct guidelines, we will systematically review the effect of RF-EMF exposure on both male fertility (SR3A) and adverse pregnancy outcomes (SR3B) in human observational studies. Herein we adhere to the PRISMA-P reporting guidelines. DATA SOURCES We will conduct a broad search for potentially relevant records relevant for both reviews within the following bibliographic databases: MEDLINE; Embase; and EMF Portal. We will also conduct searches of grey literature through relevant databases and organisational websites. RF-EMF experts will also be consulted. We will hand search citation and reference lists of included study records. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA We will include quantitative human observational studies on the effect of RF-EMF exposure: (in SR3A) in adult male participants on infertility, sperm morphology, concentration or total sperm count or motility; and (in SR3B) in preconception adults or pregnant women on preterm birth, small for gestational age (associated with intrauterine growth restriction), miscarriage, stillbirth and congenital anomalies. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS Titles, abstracts and then full texts will be screened in blinded duplicate against eligibility criteria with input from a third reviewer as required. Data extraction from included studies will be completed by two reviewers as will risk of bias assessment using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) tool. If appropriate we will undertake meta-analysis to pool effect measures and explore heterogeneity using sub-group analyses or meta-regression as feasible. We will conduct sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of any assumptions made throughout the review process. The OHAT methodology, based on the GRADE guidelines for evidence assessment, will be used to evaluate the certainty of evidence per outcome and to conclude the level of evidence of a health effect. CONCLUSION This manuscript details the protocols for two systematic reviews. The aims of publishing details of both protocols are to: pre-specify their scope and methods; reduce the impact of reviewer bias; promote transparency and replicability; and improve the review process. PROSPERO REGISTRATION CRD42021265401 (SR3A), CRD42021266268 (SR3B).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P W Kenny
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | - Evelyn Barron Millar
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | - Adenike Adesanya
- Maternal & Child Health Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | - Catherine Richmond
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | - Fiona Beyer
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | | | - Judith Rankin
- Maternal & Child Health Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | | | | | - Mark S Pearce
- Maternal & Child Health Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | - Dawn Craig
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
| | - Fiona Pearson
- Evidence Synthesis Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, UK.
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22
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Pacchierotti F, Ardoino L, Benassi B, Consales C, Cordelli E, Eleuteri P, Marino C, Sciortino M, Brinkworth MH, Chen G, McNamee JP, Wood AW, Hooijmans CR, de Vries RBM. Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) exposure on male fertility and pregnancy and birth outcomes: Protocols for a systematic review of experimental studies in non-human mammals and in human sperm exposed in vitro. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 157:106806. [PMID: 34454359 PMCID: PMC8484860 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields (RF-EMF) at environmental level have been reported to induce adverse effects on the male reproductive system and developing embryos. However, despite the number of experiments conducted since the 1970s, the diversity of testing approaches and exposure conditions, inconsistencies among results, and dosimetric flaws have not yet permitted a solid assessment of the relationship between RF-EMF exposure and such effects, warranting a more systematic and methodologically rigorous approach to the evaluation of available data. OBJECTIVES This study aims at evaluating the effects of RF-EMF exposure on male fertility and pregnancy outcomes by a systematic review (SR) of experimental studies, conducted in compliance with international guidelines. The evidence will be organized into three streams: 1) Studies evaluating the impact of RF-EMF on the male reproductive system of experimental mammals; 2) studies evaluating the impact of RF-EMF on human sperm exposed in vitro; 3) studies evaluating the impact of RF-EMF on adverse pregnancy, birth outcomes and delayed effects in experimental mammals exposed in utero. STUDY ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA Eligible studies will include peer-reviewed articles reporting of original results about effects of controlled exposures to RF-EMF in the frequency range 100 kHz-300 GHz on the selected outcomes without any language or year-of-publication restrictions. Eligible studies will be retrieved by calibrated search strings applied to three electronic databases, PubMed, Scopus and EMF Portal and by manual search of the list of references of included papers and published reviews. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHOD The internal validity of the studies will be evaluated using the Risk of Bias (RoB) Rating Tool developed by National Toxicology Program/Office of Health Assessment and Translation (NTP/OHAT) integrated with input from the SYRCLE RoB tool. Given sufficient commensurate data, meta-analyses will be performed, otherwise narrative syntheses will be produced. Finally, the certainty of the effects of RF-EMF exposure on male fertility and pregnancy and birth outcomes will be established following GRADE. FUNDING The study is financially supported by the World Health Organization. REGISTRATION OSF Registration DOI https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/7MUS3; PROSPERO CRD42021227729, CRD42021227746.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pacchierotti
- Division Health Protection Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy.
| | - Lucia Ardoino
- Division Health Protection Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Barbara Benassi
- Division Health Protection Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Consales
- Division Health Protection Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenia Cordelli
- Division Health Protection Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Eleuteri
- Division Health Protection Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Carmela Marino
- Division Health Protection Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Sciortino
- Section Technology Transfer to Developing Countries Relating to Climate Change, ENEA, Rome, Italy
| | - Martin H Brinkworth
- School of Chemistry and Bioscience, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - Guangdi Chen
- Bioelectromagnetics Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - James P McNamee
- Non-Ionizing Radiation Health Sciences Division, Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Andrew William Wood
- Department of Health Sciences and Biostatistics, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia
| | - Carlijn R Hooijmans
- SYRCLE, Department for Health Evidence, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rob B M de Vries
- SYRCLE, Department for Health Evidence, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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23
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Wang XB, Wu QJ, Liu FH, Zhang S, Wang HY, Guo RH, Leng X, Du Q, Zhao YH, Pan BC. The Association Between Dairy Product Consumption and Asthenozoospermia Risk: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study. Front Nutr 2021; 8:714291. [PMID: 34746202 PMCID: PMC8566545 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.714291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Evidence of an association between dairy product and main related dairy nutrient intake, and the asthenozoospermia risk have been limited and controversial. Methods: A hospital-based case-control study including 549 men with asthenozoospermia and 581 normozoospermic controls was carried out in the infertility clinics of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University between June, 2020 and December, 2020. Dietary intake was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire. According to the World Health Organization guidelines, semen parameters were collected through masturbation and were measured with WLJY9000 instrument and flow cytometry. The daily intake of dairy products and related nutrients was categorized into three groups according to control distribution, and the lowest tertile was used as the reference category. An unconditional multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for asthenozoospermia risk. Results: After adjustment for potential confounders, we found no statistically significant associations between the intake of total dairy products and asthenozoospermia risk (ORT3vs.T1 = 1.19, 95%CI = 0.85-1.67). Additionally, we generated null findings regarding the main related nutrients from dairy, including protein (ORT3vs.T1 = 1.19, 95%CI = 0.85-1.68), fat (ORT3vs.T1 = 1.28, 95%CI = 0.91-1.80), calcium (ORT3vs.T1 = 1.20, 95%CI = 0.85-1.68), saturated fatty acids (ORT3vs.T1 = 1.30, 95%CI = 0.92-1.83), and phosphorous (ORT3vs.T1 = 1.18, 95%CI = 0.84-1.67), and the asthenozoospermia risk. Of note, after stratification by body mass index (BMI), and the saturated fatty acids consumption from dairy was significantly associated with a higher asthenozoospermia risk (ORT3vs.T1 = 1.76, 95%CI = 1.01-3.09) among participants with a BMI below 25 kg/m2. Conclusion: This study provided limited evidence of an association between the intake of total dairy products and the main related dairy nutrients including protein, fat, calcium, saturated fatty acids, and phosphorus, and the asthenozoospermia risk. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Bin Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qi-Jun Wu
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fang-Hua Liu
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Han-Yuan Wang
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Ren-Hao Guo
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xu Leng
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qiang Du
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yu-Hong Zhao
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Bo-Chen Pan
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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24
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Kim S, Han D, Ryu J, Kim K, Kim YH. Effects of mobile phone usage on sperm quality - No time-dependent relationship on usage: A systematic review and updated meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 202:111784. [PMID: 34333014 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mobile phones emit radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic waves (EMWs), a low-level RF that can be absorbed by the human body and exert potential adverse effects on the brain, heart, endocrine system, and reproductive function. Owing to the novel findings of numerous studies published since 2012 regarding the effect of mobile phone use on sperm quality, we conducted a systematic review and updated meta-analysis to determine whether the exposure to RF-EMWs affects human sperm quality. METHODS This study was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The outcome measures depicting sperm quality were motility, viability, and concentration, which are the most frequently used parameters in clinical settings to assess fertility. RESULTS We evaluated 18 studies that included 4280 samples. Exposure to mobile phones is associated with reduced sperm motility, viability, and concentration. The decrease in sperm quality after RF-EMW exposure was not significant, even when the mobile phone usage increased. This finding was consistent across experimental in vitro and observational in vivo studies. DISCUSSION Accumulated data from in vivo studies show that mobile phone usage is harmful to sperm quality. Additional studies are needed to determine the effect of the exposure to EMWs from new mobile phone models used in the present digital environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungjoon Kim
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, 50612, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghyun Han
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, 50612, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiwoo Ryu
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, 50612, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Kihun Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, 49267, Busan, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yun Hak Kim
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, 50612, Yangsan, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, 50612, Yangsan, Republic of Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Republic of Korea.
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25
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Hassanzadeh-Taheri M, Khalili MA, Hosseininejad Mohebati A, Zardast M, Hosseini M, Palmerini MG, Doostabadi MR. The detrimental effect of cell phone radiation on sperm biological characteristics in normozoospermic. Andrologia 2021; 54:e14257. [PMID: 34628682 DOI: 10.1111/and.14257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phone has harmful effects on some organs of the body, such as the brain, heart, and testes. This study aimed to assess the effects of cell phones on sperm parameters, DNA fragmentation, and apoptosis in normozoospermic. Normal sperm samples were divided into two groups of control and case. The samples from the case were placed for 60 min at a distance of approximately 2.5 cm from the cell phone set in the active antenna position. Control samples were exposed to cell phones without active antennas. All specimens were analysed by World Health Organization criteria. Sperm viability, sperm with chromatin abnormality and maturity, DNA fragmentation, and apoptosis were examined. Viability and motility in the case were significantly lower than the control (p < .001, p = .004 respectively). The percentage of apoptotic sperms and DNA fragmentation were significantly higher in the case when compared with the control (p = .031, p < .001 respectively). The other parameters studied such as morphology, chromatin abnormality, and maturity showed no significant difference between the case and control groups. Cell phone waves had a detrimental effect on human sperm's biological features. Therefore, it is recommended to keep the cell phone away from the pelvis as much as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadmehdi Hassanzadeh-Taheri
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.,Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Khalili
- Research, and Clinical Center for Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | | | - Mahmood Zardast
- Department of Pathology, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Mehran Hosseini
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.,Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Maria Grazia Palmerini
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Mohammad Reza Doostabadi
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.,Research, and Clinical Center for Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.,Royesh Infertility Center, Birjand University of Medical Science, Birjand, Iran
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26
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Abstract
In the last decades, the universal use of mobile phones has contributed to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation environmental pollution. The steady growth in mobile phone usage has raised concerns about the effects of phone radiation on male reproductive health. Epidemiological studies report a sharp decline in sperm counts in developing countries, and worldwide with c. 14% of couples having difficulties to conceive, many of which are attributed to a male infertility factor. Environment and lifestyle factors are known to contribute to male infertility. Exposure to heat, radiation, or radioactivity might induce damage to biological tissue organs, including the testis. Given the ubiquitous use of mobile phones, the potential adverse effects of the resulting environmental radiation needs to be elucidated further. It seems to be an apparent relationship between the increased exposure to mobile phone radiofrequency and sperm quality decline, but the evidence is not conclusive. Our review summarizes the evidence concerning the possible adverse effects of cell phone radiation on the male reproductive system, with a focus on sperm quality. Also, we critically analyze the effects of elevated testicular temperature and oxidative stress on male fertility and how these factors could interfere with the physiological activities of the testis.
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Qin F, Cao H, Feng C, Zhu T, Zhu B, Zhang J, Tong J, Pei H. Microarray profiling of LncRNA expression in the testis of pubertal mice following morning and evening exposure to 1800 MHz radiofrequency fields. Chronobiol Int 2021; 38:1745-1760. [PMID: 34369206 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2021.1962902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, the chronotoxicity of radiofrequency fields (RF) in the pubertal testis development and the involved molecular pathways were investigated by exposing four-week-old mice to RF (1800 MHz, SAR, 0.50 W/kg) in the morning and evening of each day for three weeks. Then, pathological changes and functional indices within the testis were determined. We also used a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) microarray and GO/KEGG pathway analyses to determine lncRNA expression profiles and predict their potential functions. The cis and trans regulation of lncRNAs were investigated, and an interaction network was constructed using Cytoscape software. RF exposure led to a range of pathological changes in the testes of adolescent mice, as testicular weights and daily sperm productions decreased, and the testosterone secretion reduced. Furthermore, RF induced dysregulation in the expression of testicular lncRNAs. We identified 615 and 183 differentially expressed lncRNAs that were associated with morning and evening exposure to RF, respectively. From 15 differential expression lncRNAs both in morning RF group and evening RF group, we selected 6 lncRNAs to be validated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). The differentially expressed lncRNAs induced by morning RF exposure were highly correlated with many different pathways, including Fanconi syndrome, metabolic processes, cell cycle, DNA damage, and DNA replication. Trans-regulation analyses further showed that differentially expressed lncRNAs were involved in multiple transcription factor-regulated pathways, such as TCFAP4, NFkB, HINFP, TFDP2, FoxN1, and PAX5. These transcription factors have all been shown to be involved in the modulation of testis development, cell cycle progression, and spermatogenesis. These findings suggest that the extent to which 1800 MHz RF induced toxicity in the testes and changed the expression of lncRNAs showed differences between morning exposure and evening exposure. These data indicate that differentially expressed lncRNAs play crucial roles in the RF exposure damage to the developing pubertal testis. Collectively, our findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the toxic effects of RF exposure on testicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenju Qin
- School of Chemistry and Life Science, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China.,School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Honglong Cao
- School of Electronics & Information Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chuhan Feng
- School of Chemistry and Life Science, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Tianyuan Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Life Science, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Bingxu Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Life Science, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jian Tong
- School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Hailong Pei
- School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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Yu G, Bai Z, Song C, Cheng Q, Wang G, Tang Z, Yang S. Current progress on the effect of mobile phone radiation on sperm quality: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of human and animal studies. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 282:116952. [PMID: 33862271 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Potential suppression of fertility due to mobile phone radiation remains a focus of researchers. We conducted meta-analyses on the effects of mobile phone radiation on sperm quality using recent evidence and propose some perspectives on this issue. Using the MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, WOS, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases, we retrieved and screened studies published before December 2020 on the effects of mobile phone use/mobile phone RF-EMR on sperm quality. Thirty-nine studies were included. Data quality and general information of the studies were evaluated and recorded. Sperm quality data (density, motility, viability, morphology, and DFI) were compiled for further analyses, and we conducted subgroup, sensitivity, and publication bias analyses. The pooled results of human cross-sectional studies did not support an association of mobile phone use and a decline in sperm quality. Different study areas contributed to the heterogeneity of the studies. In East Europe and West Asia, mobile phone use was correlated with a decline in sperm density and motility. Mobile phone RF-EMR exposure could decrease the motility and viability of mature human sperm in vitro. The pooled results of animal studies showed that mobile phone RF-EMR exposure could suppress sperm motility and viability. Furthermore, it reduced sperm density in mice, in rats older than 10 weeks, and in rats restrained during exposure. Differences regarding age, modeling method, exposure device, and exposure time contributed to the heterogeneity of animal studies. Previous studies have extensively investigated and demonstrated the adverse effects of mobile phone radiation on sperm. In the future, new standardized criteria should be applied to evaluate potential effects of mobile phone RF-EMR dosages. Further sperm-related parameters at the functional and molecular levels as well as changes in biological characteristics of germ cells should be evaluated. Moreover, the impact of mobile phone RF-EMR on individual organs should also be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Yu
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhiming Bai
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China; Haikou Center for Medical Synchrotron Radiation Research, Haikou People's Hospital, Haikou, China
| | - Chao Song
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qing Cheng
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
| | - Zeping Tang
- Guangdong Environmental Radiation Monitoring Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sixing Yang
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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Environmental and occupational exposures associated with male infertility. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 72:101-113. [PMID: 34187108 PMCID: PMC8265198 DOI: 10.2478/aiht-2021-72-3510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The upsurge in male infertility over the last two decades, possibly due to environmental exposure, has raised significant interest, particularly boosted by reports from fertility clinics, which showed that chronic diseases and hereditary or other medical conditions might only partially explain current incidence of male infertility. Both environmental and occupational settings may have a significant role in exposure to complex mixtures of endocrine disruptors (ED), which play a major role in fertility disorders. The aim of this review is to give an insight into the current knowledge on exposure settings which may be associated with male infertility. Our study relied on a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles published between January 2000 and September 2020. It showed that some well documented factors associated with male infertility include smoking, and physiological disturbances or chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes, which in turn, may also reflect lifestyle choices and environmental exposures, especially to EDs such as phthalates, bisphenols, pesticides, and flame retardants. However, the number of studies on the aetiology of male infertility is still too low in comparison with the size of affected population. Occupational health follow-ups and medical surveillance do not collect any data on male infertility, even though ED chemicals are part of many technological processes.
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Hatch EE, Willis SK, Wesselink AK, Mikkelsen EM, Eisenberg ML, Sommer GJ, Sorensen HT, Rothman KJ, Wise LA. Male cellular telephone exposure, fecundability, and semen quality: results from two preconception cohort studies. Hum Reprod 2021; 36:1395-1404. [PMID: 33564831 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deab001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION To what extent is exposure to cellular telephones associated with male fertility? SUMMARY ANSWER Overall, we found little association between carrying a cell phone in the front pants pocket and male fertility, although among leaner men (BMI <25 kg/m2), carrying a cell phone in the front pants pocket was associated with lower fecundability. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Some studies have indicated that cell phone use is associated with poor semen quality, but the results are conflicting. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Two prospective preconception cohort studies were conducted with men in Denmark (n = 751) and in North America (n = 2349), enrolled and followed via the internet from 2012 to 2020. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS On the baseline questionnaire, males reported their hours/day of carrying a cell phone in different body locations. We ascertained time to pregnancy via bi-monthly follow-up questionnaires completed by the female partner for up to 12 months or until reported conception. We used proportional probabilities regression models to estimate fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between male cell phone habits and fecundability, focusing on front pants pocket exposure, within each cohort separately and pooling across the cohorts using a fixed-effect meta-analysis. In a subset of participants, we examined selected semen parameters (semen volume, sperm concentration and sperm motility) using a home-based semen testing kit. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE There was little overall association between carrying a cell phone in a front pants pocket and fecundability: the FR for any front pants pocket exposure versus none was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.0.83-1.05). We observed an inverse association between any front pants pocket exposure and fecundability among men whose BMI was <25 kg/m2 (FR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.88) but little association among men whose BMI was ≥25 kg/m2 (FR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.90-1.22). There were few consistent associations between cell phone exposure and semen volume, sperm concentration, or sperm motility. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Exposure to radiofrequency radiation from cell phones is subject to considerable non-differential misclassification, which would tend to attenuate the estimates for dichotomous comparisons and extreme exposure categories (e.g. exposure 8 vs. 0 h/day). Residual confounding by occupation or other unknown or poorly measured factors may also have affected the results. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Overall, there was little association between carrying one's phone in the front pants pocket and fecundability. There was a moderate inverse association between front pants pocket cell phone exposure and fecundability among men with BMI <25 kg/m2, but not among men with BMI ≥25 kg/m2. Although several previous studies have indicated associations between cell phone exposure and lower sperm motility, we found few consistent associations with any semen quality parameters. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, grant number R03HD090315. In the last 3 years, PRESTO has received in-kind donations from Sandstone Diagnostics (for semen kits), Swiss Precision Diagnostics (home pregnancy tests), Kindara.com (fertility app), and FertilityFriend.com (fertility app). Dr. L.A.W. is a fibroid consultant for AbbVie, Inc. Dr. H.T.S. reports that the Department of Clinical Epidemiology is involved in studies with funding from various companies as research grants to and administered by Aarhus University. None of these studies are related to the current study. Dr. M.L.E. is an advisor to Sandstone Diagnostics, Ro, Dadi, Hannah, and Underdog. Dr. G.J.S. holds ownership in Sandstone Diagnostics Inc., developers of the Trak Male Fertility Testing System. In addition, Dr. G.J.S. has a patent pending related to Trak Male Fertility Testing System issued. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- E E Hatch
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S K Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A K Wesselink
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - E M Mikkelsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - M L Eisenberg
- Department of Urology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - G J Sommer
- Sandstone Diagnostics, Inc, Pleasanton, CA 94588, USA
| | - H T Sorensen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - K J Rothman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,RTI Health Solutions, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - L A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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31
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Balmori A. Electromagnetic radiation as an emerging driver factor for the decline of insects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 767:144913. [PMID: 33636787 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The biodiversity of insects is threatened worldwide. Numerous studies have reported the serious decline in insects that has occurred in recent decades. The same is happening with the important group of pollinators, with an essential utility for pollination of crops. Loss of insect diversity and abundance is expected to provoke cascading effects on food webs and ecosystem services. Many authors point out that reductions in insect abundance must be attributed mainly to agricultural practices and pesticide use. On the other hand, evidence for the effects of non-thermal microwave radiation on insects has been known for at least 50 years. The review carried out in this study shows that electromagnetic radiation should be considered seriously as a complementary driver for the dramatic decline in insects, acting in synergy with agricultural intensification, pesticides, invasive species and climate change. The extent that anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation represents a significant threat to insect pollinators is unresolved and plausible. For these reasons, and taking into account the benefits they provide to nature and humankind, the precautionary principle should be applied before any new deployment (such 5G) is considered.
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Torres-Arce E, Vizmanos B, Babio N, Márquez-Sandoval F, Salas-Huetos A. Dietary Antioxidants in the Treatment of Male Infertility: Counteracting Oxidative Stress. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:241. [PMID: 33804600 PMCID: PMC8003818 DOI: 10.3390/biology10030241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Infertility affects about 15% of the population and male factors only are responsible for ~25-30% of cases of infertility. Currently, the etiology of suboptimal semen quality is poorly understood, and many environmental and genetic factors, including oxidative stress, have been implicated. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of free radicals, or reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the capacity of the body to counteract their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants. The purpose of this review, by employing the joint expertise of international researchers specialized in nutrition and male fertility areas, is to update the knowledge about the reproductive consequences of excessive ROS concentrations and oxidative stress on the semen quality and Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) clinical outcomes, to discuss the role of antioxidants in fertility outcomes, and finally to discuss why foods and dietary patterns are more innocuous long term solution for ameliorating oxidative stress and therefore semen quality results and ART fertility outcomes. Since this is a narrative review and not a systematic/meta-analysis, the summarized information in the present study should be considered cautiously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Torres-Arce
- Center of Health Sciences, Institute of Translational Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics, Universidad de Guadalajara, 44340 Guadalajara, Mexico; (E.T.-A.); (B.V.)
- Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Barbara Vizmanos
- Center of Health Sciences, Institute of Translational Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics, Universidad de Guadalajara, 44340 Guadalajara, Mexico; (E.T.-A.); (B.V.)
| | - Nancy Babio
- Human Nutrition Unit, Biochemistry and Biotechnology Department, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain;
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere i Virgili, 43204 Reus, Spain
- Consorcio CIBER, M.P., Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (ciBeRobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fabiola Márquez-Sandoval
- Center of Health Sciences, Institute of Translational Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics, Universidad de Guadalajara, 44340 Guadalajara, Mexico; (E.T.-A.); (B.V.)
| | - Albert Salas-Huetos
- Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
- Consorcio CIBER, M.P., Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (ciBeRobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
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33
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Wang S, Liu L, Zhang A, Song Y, Kang J, Liu X. Association between human papillomavirus infection and sperm quality: A systematic review and a meta-analysis. Andrologia 2021; 53:e14034. [PMID: 33666259 DOI: 10.1111/and.14034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) has a high incidence rate in both males and females. HPV infection in women has been shown to affect fertility and lead to foetal death and pregnancy loss. However, research on HPV infection in men is limited. The aim of this study was to study the effect of HPV infection in semen on sperm quality and present the findings of previous studies through a meta-analysis. Databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, WanFang data and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched for relevant studies. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed, and 17 studies were included for analyses based on a set criterion. Meta-analyses indicated that HPV infection in semen significantly reduced sperm concentration (SMD = -0.12, 95% CI: -0.21 to -0.03, p = .009), sperm motility (SMD = -0.55, 95% CI: -0.780 to -0.33, p = .000), sperm viability (SMD = -0.55, 95% CI: -0.780 to -0.33, p = .000) and sperm morphology (SMD = -0.34, 95% CI: -0.61 to -0.07, p = .015). The high-risk HPV (HrHPV) infection could significantly reduce sperm count (SMD = -0.65, 95% CI: -1.11 to -0.18, p = .007) compared with high-risk HPV (LrHPV) infection. In conclusion, HPV infection in semen significantly reduced sperm quality, and the HrHPV infection could significantly reduce sperm count compared with LrHPV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangren Wang
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Aiqiao Zhang
- Department of Neonatology, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuxuan Song
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jiaqi Kang
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Liu
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
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Zhou Q, Xu M, Wang X, Yu M, Chen X, Lu J, Zhou R, Zhang J, Ling X, Ji J. Deficiency of TBL1XR1 causes asthenozoospermia. Andrologia 2021; 53:e13980. [PMID: 33528066 DOI: 10.1111/and.13980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Transducin (β)-like 1 X-linked receptor 1 (TBL1XR1) is an evolutionarily conserved protein related to spermatozoa. To clarify its role and mechanism of action in spermatozoa, qRT-PCR was used to analyse the expression of TBL1XR1 in human spermatozoa and mouse testes. The mice were established as an animal model by injecting the mice testes with small interfering RNA against TBL1XR1 or control siRNA. Our results indicated that deficiency of TBL1XR1 in mice reduced the motility of spermatozoa and disrupted the histone-to-protamine transition. We also found the decreased expression of TBL1XR1 in the spermatozoa of human patients with asthenozoospermia (AZ) compared with that in the spermatozoa of healthy males. Moreover, we carried out chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses and found that genes downstream of TBL1XR1 were related to sperm motility. Thus, TBL1XR1 might be related to sperm motility and might function through its downstream genes. Our data highlight the role of TBL1XR1 involved in spermatozoa and provide new molecular insights into the intricate systems required for male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Zhou
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Miaofei Xu
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Branch, National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingming Yu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaojiao Chen
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Lu
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Ran Zhou
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Junqiang Zhang
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiufeng Ling
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Juan Ji
- The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
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35
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Yadav H, Rai U, Singh R. Radiofrequency radiation: A possible threat to male fertility. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 100:90-100. [PMID: 33497741 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Radiofrequency exposure from man-made sources has increased drastically with the era of advanced technology. People could not escape from such RF radiations as they have become the essential part of our routine life such as Wi-Fi, microwave ovens, TV, mobile phones, etc. Although non-ionizing radiations are less damaging than ionizing radiations but its long term exposure effect cannot be avoided. For fertility to be affected, either there is an alteration in germ cell, or its nourishing environment, and RF affects both the parameters subsequently, leading to infertility. This review with the help of in vitro and in vivo studies shows that RF could change the morphology and physiology of germ cells with affected spermatogenesis, motility and reduced concentration of male gametes. RF also results in genetic and hormonal changes. In addition, the contribution of oxidative stress and protein kinase complex after RFR exposure is also summarized which could also be the possible mechanism for reduction in sperm parameters. Further, some preventative measures are described which could help in reverting the radiofrequency effects on germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshi Yadav
- Department of Environmental Studies, Satyawati College, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110052, India
| | - Umesh Rai
- Deparment of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Rajeev Singh
- Department of Environmental Studies, Satyawati College, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110052, India.
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36
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Krzastek SC, Farhi J, Gray M, Smith RP. Impact of environmental toxin exposure on male fertility potential. Transl Androl Urol 2021; 9:2797-2813. [PMID: 33457251 PMCID: PMC7807371 DOI: 10.21037/tau-20-685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic infertility is the most common individual diagnosis in male infertility, representing nearly 44% of cases. Research studies dating over the last half-century consistently demonstrate a decline in male fertility that is incompletely explained by obesity, known genetic causes, or diet and lifestyle changes alone. Human exposures have changed dramatically over the same time course as this fertility decline. Synthetic chemicals surround us. Some are benevolent; however, many are known to cause disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and impair spermatogenesis. More than 80,000 chemicals are registered with the United States National Toxicology Program and nearly 2,000 new chemicals are introduced each year. Many of these are known toxins, such as phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic amines, and organophosphate esters, and have been banned or significantly restricted by other countries as they carry known carcinogenic effects and are reproductively toxic. In the United States, many of these chemicals are still permissible in exposure levels known to cause reproductive harm. This contrasts to other chemical regulatory legislature, such as the European Union’s REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) regulations which are more comprehensive and restrictive. Quantification of these diverse exposures on an individual level has proven challenging, although forthcoming technologies may soon make this data available to consumers. Establishing causality and the proportion of idiopathic infertility attributable to environmental toxin exposures remains elusive, however, continued investigation, avoidance of exposure, and mitigation of risk is essential to our reproductive health. The aim of this review is to examine the literature linking changes in male fertility to some of the most common environmental exposures. Specifically, pesticides and herbicides such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dibromochloropropane (DBCP), organophosphates and atrazine, endocrine disrupting compounds including plastic compounds phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), heavy metals, natural gas/oil, non-ionizing radiation, air and noise pollution, lifestyle factors including diet, obesity, caffeine use, smoking, alcohol and drug use, as well as commonly prescribed medications will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Krzastek
- Department of Urology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.,Division of Urology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.,Division of Urology, Hunter Holmes McGuire VAMC, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jack Farhi
- Department of Urology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Marisa Gray
- Department of Urology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ryan P Smith
- Department of Urology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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37
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Kacprzyk A, Stefura T, Krzysztofik M, Rok T, Rokita E, Tatoń G. The Impact of Mobile Phone Use on Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Bioelectromagnetics 2021; 42:105-114. [PMID: 33440459 DOI: 10.1002/bem.22316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Tinnitus is a perception of sound in the absence of an external source. The aim of our study was to investigate with a meta-analytical approach, whether mobile phone (MP) use increases the risk of tinnitus. Eight studies reporting the risk of tinnitus in relation to MP use were identified, and six high-quality studies (two cohort studies, one case-control study, and three cross-sectional ones) were included in the meta-analysis. The quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The risk of tinnitus was analyzed depending on the exposure to MPs in subgroups according to the study design and method of exposure assessment. Two cohort studies, which assessed the exposure to MPs using network operator data, indicated no significantly increased risk of tinnitus among highly exposed MP users in comparison to lightly exposed individuals (odds ratio [OR]: 1.03 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93-1.15]). Likewise, the self-reported exposure data from two cohorts/case-control and four cross-sectional studies did not find an association between exposure to MPs and tinnitus (OR: 1.20 [95% CI: 0.40-3.61] and OR: 1.73 [95% CI: 0.67-4.49], respectively). Current scientific knowledge, including high-quality studies with a reliable exposure assessment based on network operator data, does not support the hypothesis that MP use is associated with tinnitus. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Kacprzyk
- Department of Biophysics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland.,Doctoral School in Medical and Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland
| | | | | | - Tomasz Rok
- Department of Biophysics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland
| | - Eugeniusz Rokita
- Department of Biophysics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Tatoń
- Department of Biophysics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland
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Chronopoulou E, Seifalian A, Stephenson J, Serhal P, Saab W, Seshadri S. Preconceptual care for couples seeking fertility treatment, an evidence-based approach. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.xfnr.2020.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Keshmiri S, Gholampour N, Mohtashami V. ASSESSING THE COMPLIANCE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS RADIATED BY BASE STATIONS AND WIFI ACCESS POINTS WITH INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2020; 192:1-13. [PMID: 33230555 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncaa183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents a series of electromagnetic field measurements performed on the campus of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in order to assess the compliance of radiation levels of cellular base stations and WiFi access points with international guidelines. A calibrated, broadband and isotropic probe is used and recommendations of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) are followed up throughout measurements. More than 300 outdoor and indoor locations have been systematically chosen for measurements. The recorded data are post-processed and compared with the guideline of International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Measured power densities of WiFi access points are low and do not exceed 1% of the level allowed by ICNIRP. For cellular base stations, measured power density is usually low outdoors, but reaches up to 16% of the allowed radiation level in publicly accessible indoor locations. Comprehensive exposure assessment, as recommended by ITU, has been performed to estimate the maximum possible radiation of one indoor base station. It is concluded that precautionary actions have to be taken by university authorities to limit the presence of students in close proximity to specific indoor antennas. Moreover, comprehensive exposure assessment is more likely necessary for indoor base stations whereas such assessment is not usually required outdoors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajedeh Keshmiri
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan Province, 9177948944 Mashhad, Iran
| | - Neda Gholampour
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan Province, 9177948944 Mashhad, Iran
| | - Vahid Mohtashami
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan Province, 9177948944 Mashhad, Iran
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Okechukwu CE. Does the Use of Mobile Phone Affect Male Fertility? A Mini-Review. J Hum Reprod Sci 2020; 13:174-183. [PMID: 33311902 PMCID: PMC7727890 DOI: 10.4103/jhrs.jhrs_126_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Presently, there is a rise in the use of mobile phones, laptops, and wireless internet technologies such as Wi-Fi and 5G routers/modems across the globe; these devices emit a considerable amount of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) which could interact with the male reproductive system either by thermal or nonthermal mechanisms. The aim of this review was to examine the effects of mobile phone use on male fertility. Related studies that reported on the effects of EMR from mobile phones on male fertility from 2003 to 2020 were evaluated. PubMed database was used. The Medical Subject Heading system was used to extract relevant research studies from PubMed. Based on the outcomes of both human and animal studies analyzed in this review, animal and human spermatozoa exposed to EMR emitted by mobile phones had reduced motility, structural anomalies, and increased oxidative stress due to overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Scrotal hyperthermia and increased oxidative stress might be the key mechanisms through which EMR affects male fertility. However, these negative effects appear to be associated with the duration of mobile phone use.
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Rahban R, Nef S. Regional difference in semen quality of young men: a review on the implication of environmental and lifestyle factors during fetal life and adulthood. Basic Clin Androl 2020; 30:16. [PMID: 33072332 PMCID: PMC7559360 DOI: 10.1186/s12610-020-00114-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of low semen quality and the incidence of testicular cancer have been steadily increasing over the past decades in different parts of the World. Although these conditions may have a genetic or epigenetic origin, there is growing evidence that multiple environmental and lifestyle factors can act alone or in combination to induce adverse effects. Exposure to these factors may occur as early as during fetal life, via the mother, and directly throughout adulthood after full spermatogenic capacity is reached. This review aims at providing an overview of past and current trends in semen quality and its relevance to fertility as well as a barometer of men’s general health. The focus will be on recent epidemiological studies of young men from the general population highlighting geographic variations in Europe. The impact of some lifestyle and environmental factors will be discussed with their role in both fetal life and adulthood. These factors include smoking, alcohol consumption, psychological stress, exposure to electromagnetic radiation, and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). Finally, the challenges in investigating the influence of environmental factors on semen quality in a fast changing world are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Rahban
- Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), Switzerland and Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Serge Nef
- Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), Switzerland and Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
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Balawender K, Orkisz S. The impact of selected modifiable lifestyle factors on male fertility in the modern world. Cent European J Urol 2020; 73:563-568. [PMID: 33552585 PMCID: PMC7848840 DOI: 10.5173/ceju.2020.1975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The modern man during his reproductive period is exposed to the negative influence of widespread lifestyle-related habits. The available studies show a significant decline in the quality of young men's sperm, which results in male and female infertility factors being given equal consideration. The progressive decline of sperm quality has lowered the spermiogram parameters proposed by the World Health Organization. Material and methods We performed a review of the literature on the most common unhealthy habits in the modern world, such as obesity, mobile phone usage, smoking and alcohol intake, and their reported effects on male fertility. Several papers including original, review and meta-analysis were searched using the ScienceDirect and Web of Science databases. Results All the factors under analysis contribute to a significant deterioration of sperm quality, mainly through decreased sperm concentration, vitality, motility and morphology. Conclusions Lifestyle-related factors are a significant cause of male infertility in the world today. Studies have shown that sperm quality is essentially determined by: obesity, nicotine addiction, heavy exposure to electromagnetic compatibility radiation-emitting devices and alcohol consumption. Weight loss and cessation or limitation of unhealthy lifestyle-related factors might represent the best course of action for any couple trying to achieve pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Balawender
- Morphological Sciences Department of Human Anatomy, Medical Faculty University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland.,Clinical Department of Urology and Urological Oncology, Municipal Hospital in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Stanisław Orkisz
- Morphological Sciences Department of Human Anatomy, Medical Faculty University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
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Zhang B, Ma H, Khan T, Ma A, Li T, Zhang H, Gao J, Zhou J, Li Y, Yu C, Bao J, Ali A, Murtaza G, Yin H, Gao Q, Jiang X, Zhang F, Liu C, Khan I, Zubair M, Hussain HMJ, Khan R, Yousaf A, Yuan L, Lu Y, Xu X, Wang Y, Tao Q, Hao Q, Fang H, Cheng H, Zhang Y, Shi Q. A DNAH17 missense variant causes flagella destabilization and asthenozoospermia. J Exp Med 2020; 217:jem.20182365. [PMID: 31658987 PMCID: PMC7041708 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20182365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Using mice modelling patients’ variant, this study demonstrates that a homozygous DNAH17 missense variant causes asthenozoospermia and specifically destabilizes microtubule doublets 4–7 in flagella, which could be largely due to the storage of sperm in epididymis. Asthenozoospermia is a common cause of male infertility, but its etiology remains incompletely understood. We recruited three Pakistani infertile brothers, born to first-cousin parents, displaying idiopathic asthenozoospermia but no ciliary-related symptoms. Whole-exome sequencing identified a missense variant (c.G5408A, p.C1803Y) in DNAH17, a functionally uncharacterized gene, recessively cosegregating with asthenozoospermia in the family. DNAH17, specifically expressed in testes, was localized to sperm flagella, and the mutation did not alter its localization. However, spermatozoa of all three patients showed higher frequencies of microtubule doublet(s) 4–7 missing at principal piece and end piece than in controls. Mice carrying a homozygous mutation (Dnah17M/M) equivalent to that in patients recapitulated the defects in patients’ sperm tails. Further examinations revealed that the doublets 4–7 were destabilized largely due to the storage of sperm in epididymis. Altogether, we first report that a homozygous DNAH17 missense variant specifically induces doublets 4–7 destabilization and consequently causes asthenozoospermia, providing a novel marker for genetic counseling and diagnosis of male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Hui Ma
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Teka Khan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ao Ma
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Tao Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Huan Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jianing Gao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jianteng Zhou
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yang Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Changping Yu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jianqiang Bao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Asim Ali
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ghulam Murtaza
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Hao Yin
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Qian Gao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaohua Jiang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ihsan Khan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Muhammad Zubair
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Hafiz Muhammad Jafar Hussain
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ranjha Khan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ayesha Yousaf
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Limin Yuan
- Analysis and test center, Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yan Lu
- Analysis and test center, Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoling Xu
- Department of Respiration, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yun Wang
- Department of Respiration, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Qizhao Tao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Qiaomei Hao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Hui Fang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Hongtao Cheng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yuanwei Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Qinghua Shi
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China-Shenyang Jinghua Hospital Joint Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Diseases, School of Life Sciences, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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Gallo A, Boni R, Tosti E. Gamete quality in a multistressor environment. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 138:105627. [PMID: 32151884 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, accumulated evidence confirms that the global environment conditions are changing rapidly. Urban industrialization, agriculture and globalization have generated water, air and soil pollution, giving rise to an environment with a growing number of stress factors, which has a serious impact on the fitness, reproduction and survival of living organisms. The issue raises considerable concern on biodiversity conservation, which is now at risk: it is estimated that a number of species will be extinct in the near future. Sexual reproduction is the process that allows the formation of a new individual and is underpinned by gamete quality defined as the ability of spermatozoa and oocytes to interact during fertilization leading to the creation and development of a normal embryo. This review aimed to provide the current state of knowledge regarding the impact of a broad spectrum of environmental stressors on diverse parameters used to estimate and evaluate gamete quality in humans and in canonical animal models used for experimental research. Effects of metals, biocides, herbicides, nanoparticles, plastics, temperature rise, ocean acidification, air pollution and lifestyle on the physiological parameters that underlie gamete fertilization competence are described supporting the concept that environmental stressors represent a serious hazard to gamete quality with reproductive disorders and living organism failure. Although clear evidence is still limited, gamete capacity to maintain and/or recover physiological conditions is recently demonstrated providing further clues about the plasticity of organisms and their tolerance to the pressures of pollution that may facilitate the reproduction and the persistence of species within the scenario of global change. Changes in the global environment must be urgently placed at the forefront of public attention, with a massive effort invested in further studies aimed towards implementing current knowledge and identifying new methodologies and markers to predict impairment of gamete quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Gallo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, 80121 Napoli, Italy
| | - Raffaele Boni
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Tosti
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, 80121 Napoli, Italy.
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Changes in seminal parameters among Brazilian men between 1995 and 2018. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6430. [PMID: 32286479 PMCID: PMC7156660 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63468-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aiming to investigate trends in seminal parameter values among Brazilian men between 1995 and 2018, we performed a retrospective analysis of spermograms of couples admitted for infertility testing at UNICAMP/Brazil. For the present study, only the first sample produced by each man was analyzed (9,267 samples). Total motile sperm count (TMSC), percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology (NM), and sperm concentration after seminal processing (SCA) were considered dependent variables. Statistical analysis was carried out through linear regression for the median values both in the general population and in the population categorized by age group (<30, 30–39, and ≥40 years). During the study period, the mean age of men was 32.46 (± 6.48) years, with a median of 32 (18–67) years. We found a significant decrease in the median values of TMSC (reduction of 2.84 million/year), NM (reduction of 0.52% each year) and SCA (reduction of 0.24 million/mL each year). In conclusion, we observed that Brazilian men undergoing infertility investigation had a decline in seminal parameters in the past 23 years. Surveillance should be maintained in the coming years, and further studies are needed to elucidate possible causes for seminal deterioration and to devise strategies to reverse this trend.
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Green A, Barak S, Shine L, Kahane A, Dagan Y. Exposure by males to light emitted from media devices at night is linked with decline of sperm quality and correlated with sleep quality measures. Chronobiol Int 2020; 37:414-424. [PMID: 32126861 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2020.1727918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The last several decades have been characterized by the widespread usage of digital devices, especially smartphones. At the same time, there have been reports of both decline in sleep duration and quality and male fertility decline. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between evening exposure to the light-emitting screens of digital media devices and measures of both sleep and sperm quality. Semen samples were obtained from 116 men undergoing fertility evaluation for the following sperm variables: volume (mL), pH, sperm concentration (million/mL), motility percentage (progressive% + non-progressive motility%), and total sperm count. Exposure to the screens of electronic devices and sleep habits was obtained by means of a questionnaire. Smartphone and tablet usage in the evening and after bedtime was negatively correlated with sperm motility (-0.392; -0.369; p < .05), sperm progressive motility (-0.322; -0.299; p < .05), and sperm concentration (-0.169; p < .05), and positively correlated with the percentage of immotile sperm (0.382; 0.344; p < .05). In addition, sleep duration was positively correlated with sperm total and progressive motility (0.249; 0.233; p < .05) and negatively correlated with semen pH (-0.349; p < .05). A significant negative correlation was observed between subjective sleepiness and total and progressive motility (-0.264; p < .05) as well as total motile sperm number (-0.173; p < .05). The results of this study support a link between evening and post-bedtime exposure to light-emitting digital media screens and sperm quality. Further research is required to establish the proposed causative link and may lead to the future development of relevant therapeutic and lifestyle interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Green
- The Sleep and Fatigue Institute, Assuta Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,The Research Institute of Applied Chronobiology, The Academic College of Tel-Hai, Israel
| | - Shlomi Barak
- Reproductive Services, Assuta University Hospital, Ashdod, Israel.,Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva, Israel
| | - Lior Shine
- The Andrology Laboratory, Assuta Medical Center, Rishon Le-Zion, Israel
| | - Arik Kahane
- The IFV Unit, Assuta Medical Center, Rishon Le-Zion, Israel
| | - Yaron Dagan
- The Sleep and Fatigue Institute, Assuta Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,The Research Institute of Applied Chronobiology, The Academic College of Tel-Hai, Israel.,The Human Biology Department, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel
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Yu G, Tang Z, Chen H, Chen Z, Wang L, Cao H, Wang G, Xing J, Shen H, Cheng Q, Li D, Wang G, Xiang Y, Guan Y, Zhu Y, Liu Z, Bai Z. Long-term exposure to 4G smartphone radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation diminished male reproductive potential by directly disrupting Spock3-MMP2-BTB axis in the testes of adult rats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 698:133860. [PMID: 31514029 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The correlation between long-term exposure to SRF-EMR and the decline in male fertility is gradually receiving increasing attention from the medical society. While male reproductive organs are often exposed to SRF-EMR, little is currently known about the direct effects of long-term SRF-EMR exposure on the testes and its involvement in the suppression of male reproductive potential. The present study was designed to investigate this issue by using 4G SRF-EMR in rats. A unique exposure model using a 4G smartphone achieved localized exposure to the scrotum of the rats for 6 h each day (the smartphone was kept on active talk mode and received an external call for 1 min over 10 min intervals). Results showed that SRF-EMR exposure for 150 days decreased sperm quality and pup weight, accompanied by testicular injury. However, these adverse effects were not evident in rats exposed to SRF-EMR for 50 days or 100 days. Sequencing analysis and western blotting suggested Spock3 overexpression in the testes of rats exposed to SRF-EMR for 150 days. Inhibition of Spock3 overexpression improved sperm quality decline and alleviated testicular injury and BTB disorder in the exposed rats. Additionally, SRF-EMR exposure suppressed MMP2 activity, while increasing the activity of the MMP14-Spock3 complexes and decreasing MMP14-MMP2 complexes; these results were reversed by Spock3 inhibition. Thus, long-term exposure to 4G SRF-EMR diminished male fertility by directly disrupting the Spock3-MMP2-BTB axis in the testes of adult rats. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show direct toxicity of SRF-EMR on the testes emerging after long-term exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Yu
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China; Haikou Center for Medical Synchrotron Radiation Research, Haikou People's Hospital, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
| | - Zeping Tang
- Guangdong Environmental Radiation Monitoring Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Urology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhiyuan Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Urology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Urology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Hui Cao
- Central Laboratory of Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
| | - Jiansheng Xing
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
| | - Haotao Shen
- Shenzhen Academy of Information and Communications Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Qing Cheng
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
| | - Donghui Li
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
| | - Guoren Wang
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
| | - Yang Xiang
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
| | - Yupeng Guan
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China; Haikou Center for Medical Synchrotron Radiation Research, Haikou People's Hospital, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
| | - Yabing Zhu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhenxiang Liu
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
| | - Zhiming Bai
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China; Haikou Center for Medical Synchrotron Radiation Research, Haikou People's Hospital, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.
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49
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Tian Y, Xia Z, Li M, Zhang G, Cui H, Li B, Zhou H, Dong J. The relationship between microwave radiation injury and abnormal lipid metabolism. Chem Phys Lipids 2019; 225:104802. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2019.104802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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50
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Houston BJ, Nixon B, McEwan KE, Martin JH, King BV, Aitken RJ, De Iuliis GN. Whole-body exposures to radiofrequency-electromagnetic energy can cause DNA damage in mouse spermatozoa via an oxidative mechanism. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17478. [PMID: 31767903 PMCID: PMC6877509 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53983-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificially generated radiofrequency-electromagnetic energy (RF-EME) is now ubiquitous in our environment owing to the utilization of mobile phone and Wi-Fi based communication devices. While several studies have revealed that RF-EME is capable of eliciting biological stress, particularly in the context of the male reproductive system, the mechanistic basis of this biophysical interaction remains largely unresolved. To extend these studies, here we exposed unrestrained male mice to RF-EME generated via a dedicated waveguide (905 MHz, 2.2 W/kg) for 12 h per day for a period of 1, 3 or 5 weeks. The testes of exposed mice exhibited no evidence of gross histological change or elevated stress, irrespective of the RF-EME exposure regimen. By contrast, 5 weeks of RF-EME exposure adversely impacted the vitality and motility profiles of mature epididymal spermatozoa. These spermatozoa also experienced increased mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species after 1 week of exposure, with elevated DNA oxidation and fragmentation across all exposure periods. Notwithstanding these lesions, RF-EME exposure did not impair the fertilization competence of spermatozoa nor their ability to support early embryonic development. This study supports the utility of male germ cells as sensitive tools with which to assess the biological impacts of whole-body RF-EME exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J Houston
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Brett Nixon
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.,Hunter Medical Research Institute, Cancer Research Program, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305, Australia
| | - Kristen E McEwan
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Jacinta H Martin
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.,Hunter Medical Research Institute, Cancer Research Program, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305, Australia
| | - Bruce V King
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - R John Aitken
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.,Hunter Medical Research Institute, Cancer Research Program, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305, Australia
| | - Geoffry N De Iuliis
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. .,Hunter Medical Research Institute, Cancer Research Program, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305, Australia.
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