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Table 3 Effect of pollutants on spermatogenesis in animals

From: Does air pollution play a role in infertility?: a systematic review

Publication

Species

Number of subjects

Air pollutant (s) studied

Methodology

Results

Ieradi et al., 1996 [45]

Mice

82

Multiple pollutants from automobile traffic

3 groups of mice at 3 sites in Rome exposed to varying traffic density. Samplings of epididymal sperm from males.

Increase in morphological abnormalities of spermatozoa in group exposed to highest levels of pollutants.

Watanabe and Oonuki, 1999 [47]

Rats

18

Multiple pollutants from diesel exhaust

3 groups of rats exposed from birth to age of 3 months: - group 1: exposed to diesel exhaust - group 2: exposed to filtered diesel exhaust (no particles) - group 3: unexposed control group

Increased levels of testosterone, estradiol and FSH in 2 exposed groups. Decreased level of LH in group 1. Decreased sperm production and testicular enzyme activity in 2 exposed groups.

Yoshida et al., 1999 [43]

Mice

80

Multiple pollutants from diesel exhaust

Male mice divided into 4 groups exposed for 6 months: - 3 groups with different concentrations of diesel exhaust particles (DEP): 0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg DEP/m3–1 unexposed control group

Altered morphology of seminiferous tubules, decreased mRNA in LH receptor and decreased daily production of spermatozoa in 3 exposed groups, in a non-statistically validated dose-dependent manner.

Tsukue et al., 2001 [51]

Rats

344

Multiple pollutants from diesel exhaust

Male mice divided into 4 groups exposed for 8 months: - 3 groups with increasing concentrations of diesel exhaust - 1 unexposed control group

Decreased prostate and coagulating gland weights and increased levels of LH and testosterone in group exposed to lowest concentration. Increased weight of prostate, seminal vesicles, and coagulating glands and testosterone levels in group exposed to highest concentration.

Somers et al., 2002 [48]

Mice

40 couples

Multiple pollutants from industrial sources

Mouse couples divided into 2 groups, exposed for 10 weeks: - 1 group in polluted industrial area - 1 unexposed comparison group in rural area Studied germline mutations (ESTR loci).

Increase in rate of germline mutations among mouse families in the exposed group. No difference in maternal mutations.

Inyang et al., 2003 [50]

Rats

40

Benzo (a) pyrene (BaP)

Males divided into 4 groups: - 3 groups exposed to increasing doses of BaP for 10 days - 1 unexposed control group

Decreased percentage of spermatozoa with progressive motility in 2 groups exposed to highest BaP concentrations

Somers et al., 2004 [49]

Mice

168

Multiple pollutants from industrial sources

4 groups of 21 outbred mouse couples: - 2 groups exposed in a polluted urban industrial area for 10 weeks: 1 group exposed to ambient air and 1 group exposed to air filtered with a HEPA filter (particle filter). - 2 groups exposed in a rural area for 10 weeks: 1 group exposed to ambient air and 1 group exposed to air filtered with a HEPA filter.

Exposure site and HEPA filtration both had significant impacts on paternal inherited mutations in offspring (ANOVA: F = 7.22, p = 0.009 and F = 8.03, p = 0.006 respectively). No effect on maternal mutations. Offspring of mice exposed to ambient air in urban industrial area inherited ESTR mutations of paternal origin 1.9 to 2.1 times as frequently as offspring in other three treatment groups.

Watanabe, 2005 [44]

Rats

156

Multiple pollutants from diesel exhaust

Pregnant females divided into 5 exposure groups, from 7th day of gestation to delivery: - group 1 exposed to high total dose of unfiltered diesel engine exhaust (high total) - group 2 exposed to high dose of filtered exhaust without particles (high filtered) _ group 3 exposed to low total dose of diesel engine exhaust (low-total) - group 4 exposed to low dose of filtered exhaust (low-filtered) - group 5 exposed to clean air (control) Study of males born of these groups.

Decreased number of Sertoli cells, number of germ cells and number of spermatozoa produced daily and increased follicle-stimulating hormone levels in all groups exposed to diesel exhaust

Jeng and Yu, 2008 [46]

Rats

20, 5 in each group

PAH

Males divided into 4 groups: - 3 groups exposed to increasing doses of PAHs - 1 unexposed control group

Lower daily sperm production and sperm mobility in exposed group. Increased LH levels and decreased testosterone levels in exposed group.

Yauk et al., 2008 [22]

Mice

30

Multiple pollutants from industrial sources and automobile traffic

Inbred males raised at polluted site and divided into 2 groups: - 1 group exposed to ambient air - 1 group exposed to air filtered with a particle filter (HEPA) Study of sperm DNA after 3, 10 or 16 weeks of exposure.

Increased frequency of ESTR locus mutations (after 16 weeks), number of DNA strand breaks (after 3 and 10 weeks) and increased DNA methylation (after 10 and 16 weeks) in group exposed to ambient air compared to filtered air.