Male Infertility and Environmental Exposure to Lead and Cadmium

Details

• Personal Author:
  Benoff S ; Hurley IR ; Jacob A
• Description:
  Humans are exposed occupationally and environmentally to metal aerosols including lead (Pb2+) and cadmium (Cd2+). These toxicants accumulate in male reproductive organs. Epidemiological studies have been equivocal about effects of Pb2+ and Cd2+ on hormone concentrations, male fertility and sperm parameters. Comparison of Pb2+ and Cd2+ concentrations in fertile and infertile men are problematic. Problem areas include failure to control confounding variables, but genetic polymorphisms as in somatic diseases may modulate Pb2+ and Cd2+ damage. Multiple calcium (Ca2+) and potassium (K+) channel isoforms have been identified in human testes and spermatozoa. These Ca2+ and K+ channels are involved in early events of acrosome reactions. Ca2+ channel are susceptible to Cd2+ poisoning and K+ channels to Pb2+. These channels offer entry paths for metallic toxicants into mature spermatozoa. Ion channel polymorphisms may cause differential sensitivities to Cd2+ and Pb2+, explaining in part prospective blinded studies showing high Cd2+ in varicocele-related human infertility and high Pb2+ in unexplained infertility. In both forms of male infertility the ability to undergo an acrosome reaction decreases. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays for Ca2+ and K+ channel isoforms may identify susceptibility subgroups with lower resistance to environmental exposures. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Cadmium Environmental Exposure Lead Metals Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety Urogenital Diseases Urogenital System
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Acrosome Reaction Cadmium Cadmium-compounds Environmental-exposure Fertility Ion Channels Lead Lead-compounds Male Infertility Metal-compounds Occupational-exposure Reproductive-hazards Reproductive-system Reproductive-system-disorders

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• ISSN:
  1355-4786
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  107-121
• Volume:
  6
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20024663
• Citation:
  Hum Reprod Update 2000 Mar-Apr; 6(2):107-121
• Email:
  sbenoff@nshs.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2000
• NORA Priority Area:
  Research Tools and Approaches: Exposure Assessment Methods
• Performing Organization:
  North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, New York
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19980701
• Source Full Name:
  Human Reproduction Update
• End Date:
  20000630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2aac104f7261bea3428f9c30fdcfef350206f9664759e4a969bd7af567286c06e6bd7615fec8abee638b99fd4e94b947c01a6e774cdf7e88c204079cabda8efc
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/196349/cdc_196349_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 425.52 KB ]