Ambient air pollution exposure and damage to male gametes: human studies and in situ ‘sentinel’ animal experiments

Figures & data

Table 1. Summary of Published Studies Examining Associations Between Ambient Air Pollution and Human Sperm Quality and Genetic Integrity. Only Studies of Outdoor Pollution have been Considered; Outdoor Occupational Exposures and Attempted Interventions (e.g., [De Rosa et al. 2003; Guven et al. 2008; Paradisi et al. 2009]) are Beyond the Scope of this Review.

Reference	Location	Participants^a	Endpoints measured^b	Endpoints affected^c	Correlated air^d pollutants	Fertility impacts
Perreault et al. [2000]	Teplice District, Czech Republic	272	-Standard WHO-Motility (CASA) -Aneuploidy 8 and Y-DNA integrity (SCSA)	-Velocity-YY disomy	n/a	?
Selevan et al. [2000]	Teplice District, Czech Republic	272	-Standard WHO-Progression, vigor (CASA)-DNA integrity (SCSA)	-% motile- % with normal morphology / head- % with abnormal chromatin	PM10, TSP, SO2, CO, NOx possible	?
Rubes et al. [2005]	Teplice District, Czech Republic	36	-Standard WHO-Motility (CASA) -Aneuploidy 8, X and Y-DNA integrity (SCSA)	-% with abnormal chromatin	PM10, SO2, NOx, PAH possible	?
Sokol et al. [2006]	Los Angeles, California, USA	48	-Standard WHO without morphology- Motility	- Concentration	Ozone	?
Rubes et al. [2007]	Teplice District, Czech Republic	35	-GSTM1 genotype-DNA integrity (SCSA)	-% with abnormal chromatin	PM10, SO2, NOx, PAH possible; interaction with GSTM1	?
Hammoud et al. [2010]	Salt Lake City, Utah, USA	1465^e; 561	-Standard WHO-Motility	- Motility	PM2.5	Unlikely
Hansen et al. [2010]	North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, USA	228	-Standard WHO-DNA integrity (SCSA)-Chromatin maturity (CMA)-Cytoplasmic drops	-None	n/a	No

^aThe total sample size of the study is listed here; in some cases the number of participants for specific assays is considerably less than the study total. Perreault et al. [2000] and Selevan et al. [2000] both used the same cohort of men, and thus are not independent samples; the same is true for Rubes et al. [2005 and 2007].

^bStandard WHO indicates that semen characteristics (volume, sperm concentration, and sperm morphology) were assessed according to the World Health Organization [WHO 2005] guidelines. SCSA is the sperm chromatin structure assay, which measures relative susceptibility of sperm DNA to denaturation; CASA is computer-assisted sperm analysis; CMA is chromomycin A3 staining.

^cOnly changes with strong statistical support are listed here; there are other trends that are of potential interest in each paper and readers are encouraged to consult the original publication for more specific information.

^dPM = particulate matter with the maximum aerodynamic particle size indicated as a subscript; TSP = total suspended particulate matter; PAH = polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; in all studies air pollution exposures were inferred from regional monitoring programs, none used personal monitoring approaches.

^eThis study had two components with different sample sizes. The first portion of the study does not report the total number of men analyzed, but indicates 1,699 semen samples, with an average of 1.16 samples per subject; the total number of participants indicated here was calculated as 1,699/1.16 = 1,465.

Table 2. Sentinel Animal Studies Experimentally Examining the Effects of Ambient Air Pollution on Endpoints Related to General Health and Genotoxicity. Only Studies of Ambient Outdoor Pollution have been Considered; Laboratory Studies and Mobile Lab Studies that Regulate Animal Exposures to Particular Doses are Beyond the Scope of this Review.

Reference	Location^a	Organism	Sample size^b	Exposure duration	Effect documented	Important air pollutants
Böhm et al. [1989]	Sao Paulo, Brazil	Rats	120	6 months	Lesions and other damage to upper and distal airways	Diesel exhaust; industrial emissions
Saldiva et al. [1992]	Sao Paulo, Brazil	Rats	54	6 months	Respiratory lesions; clearance impairment	PM, SO2, CO, O3; no specific links possible
Lemos et al. [1994]	Sao Paulo, Brazil	Rats	30	6 months	Damage to nasal epithelium; acidic mucus; ciliary damage	PM, SO2, CO, O3; no specific links possible
Reichrtova et al. [1995]	Slovakia	Rabbits	24	6 months	Hg in respiratory tract, bone, brain, kidney, and heart; altered trachea	Siderite and tetraedrite ore particulates
Reymão et al. [1997]	Sao Paulo, Brazil	Mice	550	2 months	Lung tumor promotion (urethane initiated); altered tumor phenotype	PM, SO2, CO, O3; no specific links possible
Moss et al. [2001]	Mexico City, Mexico	Rats^c	172	21–49 days	No differences between exposed and filtered-air reference groups	Many types of urban and industrial pollutants
Soares et al. [2003]	Sao Paulo, Brazil	Mice	40	120 days	Elevated micronucleus frequency in peripheral erythrocytes	PM10, CO
Sato et al. [2003]	Kawasaki City, Japan	Rats	76	4–60 weeks	Elevated DNA adduct levels in nasal mucosa, lungs, and liver	Carbon black; PM2.5
Mohallem et al. [2005]	Sao Paulo, Brazil	Mice	134	4 months	Reduced female fertility; smaller litters, more failed implantations	PM10, NO2 likely; no specific links possible
Lemos et al. [2006]	Sao Paulo, Brazil	Mice	40	4 months	Lung inflammation; thickening of pulmonary/coronary artery walls	Diesel exhaust; industrial emissions
Pires-Neto et al. [2006]	Sao Paulo, Brazil	Mice	40	5 months	Damage to nasal epithelium; acidic mucous	PM10, NO2 likely; no specific links possible

^aThe location indicated is that of the exposed group where air pollution was suspected to have health effects. For most studies a reference (control) group for comparison was simultaneously housed under similar conditions at a more pristine site removed from major sources of air pollution. Moss et al. [2001] and Sato et al. [2003] used animals simultaneously exposed inside of filtration chambers at polluted sites as control groups.

^bThe sample size reported is the total number of animals included in the study.

^cStudies of free-ranging dogs in Mexico City provide evidence for dramatic damage and health effects caused by air pollution exposure (see [Calderón-Garcidueñas et al. 2001a; 2001b; 2002; 2003]); it is unclear why rats did not respond to this exposure.

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