Luigi Montano
ASL Salerno, Italy
Title: Human semen as an early and reliable tool of environmental impact assessment on human health: Ecofoodfertility Project
Biography
Biography: Luigi Montano
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Several studies have shown a dramatic reduction of male fertility in many industrialized countries and infertility is becoming a top priority for the public health. A pilot biomonitoring study of EcoFoodFertility Project a multicenter, multidisciplinary research connecting human life-style and dietary habits to the environmental consequences of exposure to pollutants, was conducted in Campania region (Italy) on a cohort of clinically healthy male residents in “Land of Fires” (high environmental impact- HEI) compared with a similar cohort living in the rural area of the same Region, Alto-MedioSele (low environmental impact–LEI).
Methodology and Theoretical Orientation: 110 healthy males were recruited from HEI and LEI areas (age 28±5years). Enrollment criteria were no smoking, no habitual alcohol drinking and no occupational exposure. In both semen and blood we analyzed 22 trace elements by optical emission spectrometry and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) by spectrophotometry. In a randomly subset of 20 subjects from each group, we analyzed sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) by Sperm Chromatin Dispersion test and antioxidant enzyme activities in the semen (Glutathione reductase, Glutathione peroxidase) by spectrophotometry.
Findings: HEI subjects showed significantly higher values (p <0.05) for Al, Mn, Cr, Mg, Li, Co, Ca in blood, as well as for Cr, Cu and Zn in the semen, while Fe was lower in the semen of HEI-group (p<0.05). Immotile sperms and the DFI were both higher (p<0.026 and p<0.01, respectively) in HEI-group. TAC in blood showed no differences, while TAC, GSR and GpX in the seminal plasma were significantly lower in the HEI-group (p<0.05).The percentage of immotile sperms showed significant (p <0.005) inverse correlations with both TAC and GSH in semen.
Conclusion & Significance: These results suggest sperm motility, DFI, antioxidant capacity, chemical element pattern are influenced by high environmental pressure and human semen could be used as an early and reliable tool of environmental impact assessment on human health, useful for innovative prevention programs and health surveillance in risk areas.
